Category: Other Culture (film, media, fine art, exhibitions, other people’s writing etc.)

British Museum, Faith After The Pharaohs, 3 December 2015

To the British Museum this evening, on my tod, for the Instinctif corporate party and private viewing of the Faith After The Pharaohs exhibition.

I have been to this annual corporate event for several years now and always enjoy it.  Not least, I love the British Museum and the private viewing tends to be well worth the effort.  This year was no exception.

As always, the guests at such functions tend to be somewhat self-selecting; the more interesting guests take an interest in the exhibition itself while the less interesting guests are “only here for the beer” – or in this case “only here for the champagne and posh nosh”.  So it is quite easy to find the interesting people for a chat.

The only “issue” this year was the vast amount of information rather than eye candy in this particular show, perhaps not ideal for a “party with exhibition”. Please don’t quiz me about this fascinating exhibition without giving me a second chance to mug up.

Below is an explanatory video:

Alexander Calder at the Tate Modern, Followed by a Mousse Wine Tasting, 23 November 2015

This was one of those coincidental days that worked out ever so well. Janie and I had run out of steam on our previous visit to the Tate Modern (to see The World Goes Pop) but wanted to see the Alexander Calder exhibition properly. We had a booked a day off for 23 November, as we had arranged to spend the weekend in Bristol with Hil, Chris and the family, so that day seemed a suitable date for the Calder.

Meanwhile, Helen Baker at Mousse Wine invited us, at relatively short notice, to a wine tasting that very evening, just around the corner from the Tate Modern.

So, on the day, we enjoyed a decent game of tennis in the morning, a light lunch and then off to the Tate Modern.

We really enjoyed the Alexander Calder, finding his sculptures soothing as well as interesting and pleasing to the eye.  There’s a good Tate stub on this exhibition with all the details – click here.

The wine tasting focussed on Nebbiolo wines – mostly Barbaresco and Barolo – here is the list of wines we tried:

Nebbiolo tasting 23.11.15 invite list np

This was Janie’s first (and my second) Mousse tasting. Not only does Helen put on a very interesting tasting but the small group of people she attracts are a pleasant, interesting bunch too.

A most enjoyable way to end a day off.

 

The World Goes Pop, Tate Modern, 12 November 2015

By the time Janie had waded through the materials from Kim’s very generous membership birthday gifts, which included membership of the Tate, she realised that she/we had missed the previews of this exhibition but there was still one members evening left, so we arranged to meet at the tate Modern early evening.

I had a long-arranged/rearranged lunch with John Farthing at a wonderful new Japanese Restaurant, Kiru, with which John is involved and to which I went again with John White a couple of months later – click here.

Then to the office for a few hours to clear some stuff before wandering over the (formerly wobbly) bridge to the Tate. It all felt a bit different, doing the members evening thing. As it was relatively late in the exhibition, this members evening was not so crowded and really did feel like an opportunity to see a popular show in quieter circumstances.

The Tate does excellent on-line stubs for past shows, so there is no need for me to repeat facts about the World Goes Pop exhibition – click here.

It wasn’t quite as much fun as the stub makes out. Some elements were really good fun, but there was also a lot of agitprop art and swathes of grim as well as swathes of lighthearted, colourful stuff. As usual, we were quite selective, spending longer in rooms that interested us and skimming stuff that did less for us.

Still, it was quite a big exhibition, so although we also fancied seeing the Alexander Calder we soon realised that, in the evening after work, we couldn’t possibly do justice to the Calder as well, so resolved to return very soon, which indeed we did, less than a fortnight later.

Janie bought me a couple of really snazzy ties in the Tate Modern shop that evening; these weren’t directly connected with the show but did have a sort-of pop art look about them. I have had more positive comments about those ties than any others in my collection, but sadly the Tate modern subsequently seems to have fallen out of love with ties.

Frank Auerbach and Barbara Hepworth, Tate Britain, 12 October 2015

This was another evening opportunity to see a preview of a Tate exhibition – in this instance the new Frank Auerbach exhibition.

Janie and I were both working that day and arranged to meet at the Tate Britain itself – I got there well early and was glad of the good weather for hanging around early evening outdoors.

Although our main purpose was the Auerbach, we judged that those rooms would be quite busy at first, so went and looked at the Barbara Hepworth first, which we both enjoyed very much.

Indeed the early part of the Auerbach seemed very dark after the Hepworth, but Auerbach is one of those artists who (in my view) got more interesting as he matured, so the exhibition grew on me as we went through the rooms.

We enjoyed a drink and some nibbles in the members’ room after we’d had our fill of exhibits. Well worthwhile, both exhibitions.

A good, informative Tate stub on Barbara Hepworth – here…

…and similarly a good stub on the Auerbach – here.

Ai Weiwei Exhibition, Royal Academy of Arts, 9 October 2015

As Kim had so kindly joined Janie up to the Tate and the V&A, I thought it was the least I could do to join her up to the RA.

This was to be our first opportunity to take advantage of that membership; so we knocked off work early that Friday and enjoyed an early evening viewing of this exhibition.

We found it very interesting. Some of the works are more challenging than enjoyable to view; others are fascinating and attractive. Ai Weiwei is an intriguing artist.

The RA stub explains it all – here, saving me much effort.

Janie and I enjoyed a drink and some nibbles in the members cafe afterwards. We are looking forward to the new improved version of same promised for next year, much as the V&A and Tate are similarly promising! We join and each of these places vastly increase their bar/cafe facilities…?

 

Canvey Island, Leigh-On-Sea, Westcliffe & Southend to See Garry & Janice Steel, 3 October 2015

Cousins Garry & Janice were very devoted visitors to mum over the years, especially given the distances involved, whereas I hadn’t been out their way (apart from the occasional funeral) for decades. Janie and I agreed that should change, so we arranged a short trip to the Essex Riviera.

Having enjoyed the movie, The Ecstasy of Wilko Johnson – click here, so much, Janie was keen to see Canvey Island along the way.

Garry was not so sure:

Me finks (sic) you’ll be disappointed with Canvey. There may be nothing open after 5:30pm other than a few haunted bars. Brighton is a paradise in comparison. Don’t forget your passport.

Actually our plan was to get to Canvey by 15:00 and visit the Steels that afternoon for the guided tour of Leigh, both of which we did.

Canvey was more interesting than Garry suggested – the mural on the sea wall was a highlight, as was the sight of many locals taking the last remains of the summer sun on what turned out to be a glorious September afternoon.

The Leigh stroll with Garry and Janice was also interesting. I had never been down to Old Leigh before; it is really rather quaint and charming; probably more so for seafaring types than land-lubbers like me and Janie, but still good to see and a nice chance to catch up with Garry and Janice while strolling.

Then back to get our car and then Janie & I checked in to the Westcliffe Hotel – not bad. Later, Garry and Janice picked us up at the hotel and we walked down the road to the Piccolo Italian Restaurant, where they had celebrated their silver wedding anniversary some years ago.

The Steels very kindly insisted that the meal was on them, but I was able to persuade them that I’d like to sponsor a bottle of fine wine, spotting a Brunelli on the menu at (I realised having just been to a Mousse Wine tasting on that very subject) a very low price for such a vintage wine. The proprietor was very impressed that I recognised the wine and the good value – he’d been buying those in their infancy for years. “Game over now” (he told me ruefully).

A very enjoyable afternoon and evening with Garry and Janice.

In the morning, after breakfast and on our way out of town, we diverted a few hundred yards into Southend proper so I could take a look at the house where Jack, Sybil and Norman had lived up on that cliff. Smashing view – a more salubrious-looking property now.

Mousse Wine Tasting, Rossi & Brunelli di Montalcino, 28 September 2015

About a week ahead, I was invited to a wine tasting by Helen Baker, a friend of Gerry Goddin who was thinking through setting up independently in the wine business:

I was wondering if you would be able to make it to a tasting?  This is the first of a series of four to be held fortnightly on a Monday, starting at 5.30 pm/6.00 pm. These first four will concentrate on Rosso/Brunello and Langhe Nebbiolo/Barolo.  I have a few older vintages and interesting comparisons, so it should be fun as well as interesting and all the wines are top notch.

As luck would have it, I was in the City that day and had no evening engagement planned, so it would have seemed churlish to turn down a chance to try some amazing wines.

I met some interesting people and tasted some superb wines at this tasting. A list of the wines we tasted is linked here: Mousse Montalcino Tasting 28 09 15

Helen very kindly let me take a couple of half-finished bottles home with me, warning me though, that the really fine Brunelli would not be at its best for much more than 24 hours.

When I told Janie what she had missed, she made a point of popping in to the flat on the Tuesday and having a quick slurp. She enjoyed both the Rossi and the Brunelli but agreed that the Brunelli was especially fine.

This new found understanding of Brunelli came in handy just a few days later in Southend-on-Sea – I kid you not. Once I have written up that visit (3 October), there should be a link below…now there is!

Canvey Island, Leigh-On-Sea, Westcliffe & Southend to See Garry & Janice Steel, 3 October 2015

Sonia Delaunay, Tate Modern, 24 July 2015

What an amazing evening we lined up.

This exhibition early evening at the Tate Modern; grab some grub at the Tate-Mod, then on to the Wigmore Hall to see a couple of short gigs there – click here.

The Sonia Delaunay was really interesting; fascinating life and I like much of the work too.

Top stub from the Tate itself with links etc. explains it all, reviews, the lot – click here.

Great start to our evening.

The Salt of the Earth, Curzon Chelsea, 14 July 2015

I’m pretty sure we went on that Tuesday (14th July) although I have no diary note, so it might have been a different midweek evening that week.

It was something Janie really wanted to see, but we knew we’d only go midweek if we both felt, at the time, that we could fit it in.

Janie’s patients must have run to time. I had more time that week than expected, as I had planned to go to Merchant Taylor’s to watch Middlesex play but (as usual when I plan to do that) it had rained solidly on my planned day.

The award-winning film The Salt of the Earth is well described in its IMDb entry – click here.

It is basically about the photographer Sebastião Salgado and his stunning photography of cultures and landscapes of the world. The film was made by his son, Juliano Ribeiro Salgado, together with Wim Wenders of Buena Vista Social Club fame.

We saw a preview and picked up a leaflet there from a preview Q&A session with Sebastião Salgado himself, but we weren’t there on the evening he appeared for questions afterwards.

The film was very moving and beautifully made. Worth seeing on a big screen, as we guessed, although small screen would be better than no screen at all.

 

 

Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty, V&A, 10 July 2015

Janie was really looking forward to this exhibition. I thought I’d find it interesting too.

The V&A explains the exhibition and provides some video elements that show you quite a lot about it – click here.

In truth, neither of us much liked it. I really didn’t like it at all. Some of the rooms were so noisy and had so many different stimulae at the same time, I couldn’t really get my head around the art of it all. Perhaps it really was replicating the heaving nature of fashion shows. It didn’t help that, for this show, that Friday evening slot seemed very popular and therefore very crowded. Not for me.

We knew that we’d find several examples of our fashion photographer friend Anthea Simms’s work and sought those out; several to be found amongst the iconic postcards and posters for sale in the exhibition shop. We liked that bit best.

Here’s an e.g. for those Anthea Simms works – click here or on the picture above while the link is still live.

I for one was grateful that we’d arranged to go on to the Wigmore Hall for some grub and a late night concert afterwards; it felt like an escape from chaos into tranquility – what a huge cultural shift just down the road.