Gnomes, beatboxing and a vacuum-packed artist at Hackney WickED

L-R: Artists Megan Broadmeadow, Victoria Myatt, Matthew Faulkner, Jamie Shaw, Bernadette Ehl at Hackney WickED 2013. Photograph: Eleonore de Bonneval

From miniature aqua garden gnomes to drum kits on wheels, from paintings of cats to late-night conversations about Caravaggio and the universe, Hackney WickED proved once again that it is an exhilarating, thought-provoking and occasionally bonkers art festival.

The wind and rain didn’t dampen the boisterous atmosphere, and after unprecedented levels of media attention, the crowds poured out of the Overground in waves and into the area’s converted warehouses.

Hackney Wick famously has the highest proportion of artists to residents in the world – one in seven. This was testified to by the amount of art on show: 20 galleries and 100 open studios showcasing the work of 350+ local artists.

Inevitably, the sheer quantity of artwork and its often experimental nature means the quality can be variable; in among the alluringly elusive sculptures and impressive canvases, there were some brave experiments that didn’t quite work.

Highlights included the Art Roulette, in which visitors could gamble for a work of art, Adam McAlavey’s ‘The Shrine’, a borderline-fetish installation in which the artist was vacuumed into a rubber statue, and an intriguing selection of psychedelic paintings in the Hackney Wick Public Baths building.

The festival’s reluctance to label the artwork made it an immediate, impressionistic experience, removing the usual explanatory notes that we rely on to give art meaning.

But it wasn’t all art: there was a Beat Box Collective, a Buskers Corner, live music from post-techno band Sculpture, and avant-garde film screenings.

There were free lino-cut and clay-moulding workshops, walking tours, skateboarders and athletes performing acrobatic feats.

Alongside food outlets like the Hackney Pearl and the Counter Café, there were plenty of diverse food and drink stalls and new riverside pop-up bar Smokey Tails.

However, when most galleries and open studios closed at six, festival-goers were still clamouring for more.

A couple of extra hours, some performance art or more evening installations would have been welcome to keep the focus on the art.

In any case, the trendy bars, lively music and £3 cocktails provided welcome distractions.