Marshy land, Soul II Soul and Hamza the Hook - do you recognise this map's view of Finsbury Park?

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By LiseS | Tuesday, May 18, 2010, 11:54

As part of the British Library's Magnificent Maps exhibition currently on display, artist Stephen Walter has produced "The Island". The map is

a hand-drawn satirical illustration of London, covered with frivolous detail and curious snippets of history, and showing the "island" of London as cut off from the rest of the surrounding commuter belt. But do you

agree with the artist's view of Finsbury Park?

Down towards the bottom of the park, Walters makes unsurprising reference to Finsbury Park's most notorious former resident, "The Hook Hamza". Just below the mosque is a note on Hamza's enduring cultural legacy, "Lots of staring at women".

West African, Caribbean and Kurdish cultural groups all get a mention, as do the block parties of the 1980s featuring the music of Hornsey resident Jazzie B's soundsystem Soul II Soul. Over on the East side of the park is an area described as "Could be East Europe".

Up in the Crouch End portion of the map we find mention of "New celebs" - perhaps meaning Crouch End residents James McAvoy, Simon Pegg and comedian Sean Hughes? There's also reference to the famous rumour about Bob Dylan visiting a plumber called Dave instead of musician Dave Stewart in the 1990s.

It's

a humorous and absurdly detailed creation, but do we recognise the character of  N4 in  this drawing? Is it a collision of communities and urban music myths, or is there more to the area than meets the eye? What would you have included? Let us know what you think of Walter's map, and

of Finsbury Park, below.

Magnificent Maps will be exhibited at the British Library until September.

      

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