Category Archives: Art

The Concert of a Lifetime

04 Monday Jun 2012

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After a wet Sunday on the river, it was time for the Jubilee Concert.  I had heard the drifting sound of music in the air all weekend as the bands rehearsed on the giant sound stage set up at The Queen Victoria Memorial Fountain outside Buckingham Palace.

Preparations for the concert have been going on all weekend. Photo by me

Mastermind of the three-hour BBC produced musical extravaganza Gary Barlow promised Sir Paul McCartney, Stevie Wonder and Sir Elton John.  It also promised to possibly be a rainy night on the Mall.

The clouds are building Monday morning as the blimp flies over St James's Park at the Westminster end. Photo by me.

The crowds were already flooding the park before noon staking out their spots with flags and blankets.  The 10,000 grandstand tickets had been awarded ages ago by a national ballot.  Those lucky sods also got a picnic in the Buckingham Palace Gardens. These additional attendees were people outside the inner fence trying to get a good view of the big screens set up down the Mall and in St. James’s Park.

These St. James's Park residents could have cared less about the invasion going on around them. Photo by me.

The best part of the morning was Stevie Wonder rehearsing and although there was no image, you could hear “Superstition” loud and clear throughout the park. His music continued for quite a while. Everyone was already rocking.

Before noon, people were already arriving for the show which would really begin at about 8 pm. Photo by me

I decided to take a break, and headed to the end of the park at Trafalgar to pay a visit to the National Gallery.

The National Gallery of Art, the perfect spot on a cool, cloudy London day. Photo by me.

I got my floor plan and carefully laid out my plan of attack on the massive museum. I began with the Impressionists.

Cezanne at The National Gallery. Photo by me

I also managed to fit in lunch at the museum cafe…an asparagus, fennel, and goat cheese tart and salad.  It was the perfect accompaniment to Turner.

Turner, The National Gallery. photo by me

After lunch, I decided to spend another hour with Cezanne, Rembrandt and Botticelli. Finally, it was time to leave these perfect companions, and head back through the Mall.  The crowds were now setting up mini-tent-towns.

Tents were popping up everywhere like mushrooms. Photo by me

The boards kept flashing notices that if you were planning to stay in the park overnight to view the parade tomorrow, you had to be in St. James’s Park, not on the Mall.  In the park overnight!!!

Food stalls were set up everywhere, these two outside Clarence House. This was a mini-Woodstock. Photo by me

This might be a bit tough to get anywhere close to the action tonight. OMG! These people were serious.

Tents in St. James's with Big Ben in the background. Photo by me

I was bound and determined to at least try.

I love the woman with the high heels...what was she thinking. She was going to the palace and she was going to wear her best shoes, that's what! Photo by me.

Security was ultra strict, thank goodness, and they were already limiting access at certain points and checking backpacks and purses as they came in to the area.

The crowds kept pouring in. I imagine within the next couple of hours it would be impossible to get anywhere near. Photo by me.

I was informed by three concert security people that the sneak route I had planned through Green Park would be closed off…for the next two days.

The Official Souvenir Stands were doing a brisk business. Photo by me.

It looked like I might have to open my window and listen to the music from afar, but we’ll see.

These two music lovers have claimed their positions for the night. Photo by me

The weather may have something to do with it. It was threatening rain by 4 pm. The concert and beacons that would light up the sky were planned for later tonight.  England’s skies don’t get dark until very late this time of year.

I headed over around 5 pm and made it in with many other revelers.  Everyone was in an extremely jolly mood to say the least.

A happy group of Jubilee Concert goers. Photo by me

Some people put some real effort into their ensembles. Photo by me.

The sky got dark and it started to rain.  But all was not lost.

Even the rain couldn't dampen spirits. Photo by me

Soon the sun was shining again and people were dancing in the street.  I had a classic British dinner at the concert…chips (french fries to you Yanks) and a hot chocolate to ward off the chill.

There were many dining options at the Jubilee Concert. I chose chips, a popular choice. Photo by me

And then the boards lit up and it began.

Let the party get started. On the lawn in St. James's Park. Photo by me

The crowd was enjoying the music thoroughly.  At the least provocation they sang along, cheered and waved their flags.

One of my favorite moments. This couple had their Queen and Prince masks on the back of their heads, and people kept running up behind them and having their pictures taken without them even being aware. Photo by me.

As it got dark, the music got better and better. Again, the crowd control was phenomenal.

The crowds were huge all over the area, but it was so well organized it was fine. Photo by me.

There were police, security and concert staff everywhere inside and outside the concert area to make sure everything ran smoothly…and it did. I don’t usually like huge crowds, but this never bothered me.

It was finally getting dark, and Annie Lenox came on. Photo by me

I waited for the queen to arrive, and decided it was time to walk back to my room (the concert actually started at 7:30).  My usual access was cut off so I had to walk around a much longer way, but there were lots of people with me, a happy crowd, who had spent the day celebrating and were also ready to go home, and plenty of security on the streets to guide me home.

I can still hear the crowds and helicopters outside from my room as I write this.  London is a very happy place tonight.  May it always be so joyous. Happy Diamond Jubilee everyone.

I head back to the country tomorrow to join My Beloved Brit after his weekend of sailing.  It will be so good to see him, but I will miss London.

 

 

The Flotilla on the Thames

03 Sunday Jun 2012

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Rain was predicted heading in to the weekend for Sunday, the day of the staging of the largest flotilla in decades to parade down the Thames in honor of Queen Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee.  The event was supposed to begin around 2:30 pm and start near Battersea Park, heading up river for Tower Bridge. All looked relatively calm on Saturday, although there always seemed to be a helicopter overhead, and police sirens kept rushing through the city.

The River Thames on June 2, 2012 looking very calm. Photo by me.

I woke up to the sound of rain outside my window on Sunday morning, and rushed down to Piccadilly to see if I could score an umbrella.  I did at the local newsstand for only 5 pounds.  We’ll see if it survives the jubilee.

I decided the best approach for the day was to head over to Tate Modern Art Gallery on the South Bank.  If it didn’t stop raining, at least I will have gotten to see the Damien Hirst exhibition. If it did, I might be able to catch a glimpse of the river parade.

The banner for the Damien Hirst exhibition at Tate Modern, located in an old power station directly on the Thames. Photo by me

Some poor souls were camped out on the banks of the river waiting for the pageant to begin.  They still had over 5 hours to go before even a hope to glimpse a boat.

Staking out their positions on the river. Photo by me

I couldn’t imagine.  It was quite chilly, and a misty drizzle filled the air, but people were in a grand mood, and everyone seemed happy enough.  Somehow the rain just made the whole day more British. I decided to wait it out in the huge Tate where it was warm…and had bathrooms.

The toasty warm...and dry...Tate Book Store. Photo by me

I paid my fee for the special Hirst exhibit (many museums are free in London, but charge a hefty price for special exhibitions) and spent a long time lingering through the exhibition.  Hirst had never been one of my favorite artists, but as usual, the Tate did a fabulous job of really explaining his career in this retrospective.  I saw the diamond skull, and the shark in formaldehyde and the room of live butterflies.

The Physical Impossibility of Death in The Mind of Someone Living, by Damien Hirst (1991) from Wikipedia Commons

I read the small booklet they gave me and saw the very expansive film with Hirst narrating, and walked away with a much better understanding and appreciation of the artist and his work.  I was not allowed to photograph here, but take my word, it was very well done.

I decided to stop by for a quick lunch in the coffee shop (after realizing it was impossible to eat in the restaurant on the top floor which had a view of the river), and noticed crowds were already trying to command a position by the windows on this floor that faced the river.  It was noon, at least 3 hours until the pageant would reach this point.

The Tate Modern coffee shop. The view out the window was very popular. Photo by me

At this point there really was nothing much to see but a misted over St. Paul's across the river. Photo by me

I returned to the galleries after my smoked salmon and cucumber sandwich, and saw a wonderful exhibition called “Energy and Process”.  It had some interesting work that explored the use of new materials for making art, unheard of in its time. There were also some old favorites of mine of Cy Twombly that I had seen the last time I was here, but will never get enough of.

Surface-to-Surface by Susumu Koshimizo (planks) and Ren-Shiki-Tai by Kishio Suga (stone). At the time, these types of materials had never been used to create art in modern times. photo by me

Untitled by Marita Merz, aluminum Photo by me

Bacchus series paintings and sculptures, Cy Twombly. Photo by me.

I spent time wandering through a few more floors, visited the book shop and finally decided to reclaim my jacket and umbrella from the cloak room and head out in to the throngs of humanity which had been building all day.

The crowd had grown outside while I was enjoying art inside. Photo by me.

There wasn't an inch of space to stand near the river. Photo by me

I couldn't even get a view of the big screen set up on the outside of the Tate. Photo by me.

I could see this area wasn’ t going to work out, and I could tell by the crowds cheering watching the screen that the Queen had boarded the barge to start her trip up the Thames.  There were helicopters overhead and bells were ringing.

I decided to head down river.

A bit of ice cream never hurts, no matter what the temperature. Photo by me

But everyone was in a great mood, and it had stopped raining, and there were lots of police controlling the crowds.  If an area got too packed, they blocked off new people coming in and explained how to get around it…and people did.  So civilized.

The South Bank of London. Photo by me

London's finest had everything under control. Photo by me

Finally, I made my way down to The London Eye at Jubilee Park.

The London Eye on a grey jubilee day. Photo by me

Here there was another giant screen set up…and many, many people watching it.  But it was on a hillside so it worked, and the river was in the background so we could hear the boats moving on the river with fire whistles and salutes. It was very festive to say the least.

The crowds loved it. Photo by me

And when the image came on the giant screen showing that the Queen’s barge was right behind us on the river, and you could hear the salutes, the crowd went wild. Flags were waving and people were cheering.  The woman next to me said it made it all worth while coming out to see it live, and not sitting at home watching it on her tellie with a cup of tea.

You could see The Eye on the screen that was right behind us in the park. The crowd went nuts! Photo by me.

The Queen and Prince Philip. The cheers went up again, and the women commented on how lovely she looked. Photo by me.

Once the Queen’s barge went by, I decided (along with about a million other people) it might be time to head for Waterloo Station to get back across the river.  It was growing darker and darker and the sky was looking a bit threatening.

Coming out of the Green Park Underground Station in the wet. Photo by me

As I came out of my station, it was pouring again but I managed to use my trusty cheap umbrella to get me in to my London room. As I passed the library on my way upstairs, I noticed the TV was on with other wet jubileers watching the ending ceremonies at Tower Bridge.  They had been on bicycles and were quite bedraggled, but we all agreed it was a tremendous day.  We sat down and shared a cup of tea to toast the Queen.

Monday night is the huge Jubilee Concert outside Buckingham Palace.  I can hear them rehearsing across the park this evening.  The forecast is for rain. We shall see.

 

 

Portraits of the Queen at the National Portrait Gallery

15 Tuesday May 2012

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In honor of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, the National Portrait Gallery in London is mounting a stellar exhibition of over sixty of the “most remarkable and resonant portraits of the Queen made during her 60 year reign”. The show runs from May 17 – October 21, 2012.

I am thrilled that I will be in London in a couple of weeks, and this is on my list of things to see in the midst of all the Diamond Jubilee excitement of that weekend. It is fascinating to have one figure that has been interpreted by so many artists over such a large span of years. Artists include Cecil Beaton, Andy Warhol and Lucien Freud to name just a few.

Queen Elizabeth II by Dorothy Wilding 1952, copyright William Hustler and Georgina Hustler, National Portrait Gallery, London

 

 

“Face Britain” Does a Portrait of the Queen

22 Sunday Apr 2012

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The Diamond Jubilee celebration is just beginning and the events are becoming more and more spectacular and creative leading up to the first week in June.

Gloiana ready for the jubilee

The Queen’s 94ft royal barge Gloriana that will lead the Thames Diamond Jubilee Flotilla was lowered in to the Thames on Thursday.

And now Face Britain has projected a huge composite portrait of the Queen on Buckingham Palace.

Projected images of the Queen, made up of over 20,000 self-portraits by children, is covering Buckingham Palace for three days this week.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Prince’s Foundation for Children & The Arts’ original project goal was to give every child the chance to create their own self portrait. By bringing them together, it could create a snapshot of the 2012 generation.

“We began talking to the TV programme, Blue Peter, to ask if they would help us to promote the project to children and teachers. One of the editors had the brilliant idea of not just collecting and displaying the children’s self portraits but knitting them into a single composite image of HM The Queen – each portrait forming a pixel of the larger image.”  They projected over 20,000 self-portrait images submitted to Face Britain onto Buckingham Palace this week.

What a fabulous idea.

Newton added, “We had to get the Queen’s approval, of course, because we’re projecting on to the front of her home,” he said. “I’m delighted to say Her Majesty loved the idea and loves the imagery.”

And all of these young children are introduced to the glory of creating art.  Well done.

A Dream…Versailles

03 Tuesday Apr 2012

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Ever since I saw Sofia Coppola’s 2006 production, Marie Antoinette, I have dreamed of visiting Versailles.  For her movie, Coppola was given unprecedented access to the vast palace and grounds and it looked magnificent.

It was pretty grand in true life, although the billions of visitors made it a tad crowded. Nonetheless…

I wasn't alone wanting to see Versailles this morning. The palace was overrun with tourists speaking many languages. Photo by me

The Versailles Station after a ride through the "country" from Paris on the double decker train. Photo by me

Thank goodness I managed to catch an early train this morning from Paris. The 30 minute ride was very pleasant, and the ticket seller at the station actually was quite helpful. Luckily with internet, I had researched the excursion and sort of knew what I was doing.

I even managed to get through the gates of the Palace fairly easily despite the massive crowds.  Having the museum pass helped a lot I think.  The ticket lines were unbelievable.

And once inside I got to see this…

Inside Versailles. One of many spectacular chandeliers. Photo by me.

and this…

This bedroom might be a tad fussy for me, but you have to admire how they mixed prints. Photo by me.

 

And this…

Hall of mirrors. Photo by me

Enough of the gold and the crowds, I looked for an exit.

The corridors were lovely and mysterious. Where did they all go? Photo by me

I headed outside, and even though very little had even started blooming or budding “Le Jardins” were spectacular.

Versailles' back garden. Photo by me

I walked around the grounds for hours before escaping back to the Starbucks in town and the train home. Another day in Paradise.

Peace and quiet. The further I got from the Palace, the less crowded it became. This was still on the palace grounds. It went on forever. Photo by me.

I got back to the train station in Paris just in time to catch the last hour at the Museum d’Orsay. I managed to fit in their special exhibit, “Degas, et le nu” (Degas and the nude).

The main hall of Museum d'Orsay. Such a uniquely beautiful museum in an old train station. Photo by me

It was a spectacularly rich show including sketches, influences by other artists and final paintings, but no photography allowed so you’ll have to take my word for it. It even had one of Degas’s small sketch books on exhibit behind glass. Amazing.

The sun sets on Paris and the Museum d'Orsay. Photo by me

I walked back across the park for my last evening in Paris.

A final sailboat race on the fountain pond in the Tuileries. These are the first clouds I've seen all week. Rain tonight. Photo by me

I paused to watch a rousing game of boules. Photo by me

And finally crossed over to my hotel during rush hour. Photo by me

Good Night, Paris.

 

 

Palm Sunday in Paris

01 Sunday Apr 2012

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Today is Palm Sunday in Paris, a point hard to miss in this city.  On my way to breakfast I passed the ladies at the door of the church preparing the greenery.  In Paris, it is sprigs of boxwood rather than palms, but the point is made just the same.

The ladies prepare greens outside the church for Palm Sunday. photo by me

At every church in the city, it seemed you could get a sprig of green to carry around.  And at Notre Dame they had big white tents set up to entertain the children. Church members in white sweatshirts would answer any questions you might have about the day, and their church, and their religion.

Notre Dame, photo by me

Around the corner, a flower market bloomed.  I happened on it quite by mistake while making a detour for a scoop of haagen dazs (chocolate praline carmel crunch).

This flower market went on for blocks around the corner from Notre Dame. Photo by me

Perfect for the patio, from peach trees to pussy willows. Photo by me

And as I became intoxicated with the smell of fresh spring blooms, I heard  birds chirping away.  There were cages full of tiny birds, every variety imaginable, to the great delight of children straining to escape from their parents to see what it was all about.

Tiny birds, chirping away, hoping to find a home for Easter. photo by me

There were all shapes and sizes and colors. Fascinating. I don’t know if this was just for this weekend or if this a regular occurrence, but it was really quite magical.

The varieties were endless. Something for every taste, so to speak. photo by me

There were booths with all types of birdseed…

Bird seed by the bulk. photo by me

…so you can feed your nesters and get your own fresh eggs.

You could also buy live quails, chickens and doves at the market if you wanted your own endless supply of fresh eggs. Photo by me.

And that was just part of my day.  The highlight was a visit to Centre Pompidou, the Paris version of New York’s Museum of Modern Art.  A unique building, very modern and industrial, it was a delight, and the collection was interesting and varied.

The courtyard from the roof of Centre Pompidou. Photo by me

The last time I was in Paris, much of this museum was closed for renovation, so today was a treat and I spent hours there. My poor Beloved Brit I am afraid would have been bored to tears, which is why I came on my own.

Outside the galleries are sculpture gardens in a pool high above the city.The views of Paris from up here are spectacular. Photo by me

The collection is varied, but my favorite area is Floor 4 and 5, 1900 to present.

Matisse cutouts. Never disappoint. Photo by me

A few of my old favorites…

Joan Mitchell. I have this image in a book back in the studio, but it pales in comparison to the real thing. Photo by me

And of course Peter Doig…

Peter Doig, the painting in real time. Photo by me

I could go on and on and on–way too many to mention here.

Just a spectacular day.  And then I walked outside and down the street on my way to Notre Dame, and saw this…

A small side street captured my attention. Ssssh, don't tell anyone. Photo by me

You’ve got to love Paris for the art.  Just when you think you’ve adjusted to the visual overload, something else pops up and blows you away.

 

 

Viva la France

31 Saturday Mar 2012

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Paris, as I suspected, has survived very well with out me for the past four years. But it is so good to be back.

From my room you can see the Tuileries. photo by me

It is springtime here.  The forsythia is just starting.  The Tuileries is lovely. And of course, the art…the art is alive and well. The first thing I managed to do when I arrived at Charles deGaulle airport was to find the Paris Tourist Information desk and buy my 6 day museum pass.

The Tuileries across from my hotel are lovely in the morning before the crowds take over. phot by me

After too little sleep on a fully booked Air France flight (I never think of myself as large until I try to fit in to one of those seats over the course of an 8 hour flight), I managed to catch up on my rest some and headed out this morning for coffee in the Tuileries.

The view to the Musee d'Orsay, where many of the most famous Impressionist works are. Saving that for tomorrow. Photo by me

My new favorite coffee spot. It is so quiet in the morning. Photo by me

 

The thing I truly love about Paris is that there is art everywhere, and I mean everywhere…of course it is in the museums, but it is also in the parks, on the streets and in every store window.  Each is a little gem.

Of course, I hit the mother load this morning.  I went across the park to the Orangerie to see Monet’s waterlilies in natural light.  Spectacular.

Walking with my coffee through the park, I came upon these odd little sculptures Photo by me

It seems the pigeons love the art in Paris almost as much as I do.

Interesting how the pigeons in Paris love the art also.photo by me

Every statue seemed to have a pigeon on its head, and they didn't seem to mind one bit. photo by me

 

As a matter of fact, when I went in to the Louvre, the statues seemed quite upset that they didn't have pigeons on their heads. photo by me.

Hopefully more tomorrow, if the hotel internet connection be willing.

Paris in the Spring

29 Thursday Mar 2012

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I am on my way to Paris for a week, and will actually have five full days of art museums.  I had an air ticket left over from a trip I cancelled last summer that needed to be used or lost by April 5th, so My Beloved Brit generously suggested that I use it for a week of art on my own.  His attention span tends to be limited for too many museums, although he’s always willing to give it a try, and it was just too early and cold to use the ticket for our joint trip to England.

View over Paris at dusk, Benh Lieu Song, creative commons

So I am off, and I’ll try to keep you posted, internet in my Paris hotel be willing.  I’ve already researched buying my week long Museum Pass, and practiced my few phrases of   leftover high school French.

Let the adventure begin!

David Hockney, The Bigger Picture

25 Sunday Mar 2012

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I finally got my book in the mail, which I had ordered over a month ago, on the current Hockney exhibit at the Royal Academy in London, David Hockney, A Bigger Place.  It was well worth the wait.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The book is huge and has gorgeous color reproductions.  I had seen a few of the early works from his Yorkshire landscape series in 2006 when My Beloved Brit and I were in London and tracked them down at the Annely Juda Fine Art in London.  I had read an article about how Hockney had returned “home” after years of success in LA.  His dear friend Jonathan Silver was in the last stages of terminal cancer and these early landscapes came from the drive Hockney made back and forth from his mother’s home in Bridlington to his friends bedside in Wetherby.

We were blown away by the show at Annely Juda and these photos seem to do that earlier view justice.

Late Spring Tunnel, May 2006

It is fascinating that what I saw 5 years ago was the beginning of this new wave of pictures. We had seen his first efforts of the brightly colored rural landscapes, and I studied how he did multiple panels, something I was starting to explore.

The book helps explain what went on in those 5 years with the development of this work, and how this truly expansive and intriguing collection was born. I poured over the pages of sketches that preceded the actual paintings.

Mid-summer, East Yorkshire, 2004. Thirty-six watercolors on paper.

And am still going back to look at the full paintings again and again.

Woldgate Mist, November 2005

The book has a wealth of visual and written information on how the work formed.

It also helped me to understand how he approached his subject matter, as here where he studied the same three trees in different seasons, and in different mediums.

Autumn Thixendale, October 21st 2008 and October 28th 2008, charcoal on inkjet print on paper

Three Trees near Thixendale, Summer 2007, oil on eight canvases

 

Three Trees near Thixendale, Autumn 2008, oil on eight canvases

 

Three Trees near Thixendale, Winter 2007, oil on eight canvases

The book is organized similar to the show at the Royal Academy itself, from what the introduction claims.  This exhibition is placed in series by subject, much as I have always organized my own work.  I can understand finding an intriguing subject and going back to it again and again over time.  So where I have “waves” and “branches” and “encounters”, Hockney has “Hawthorn Blossoms”, “Tunnels” and “Winter Timber and Totems”.

And as glorious as the color reproductions are, some of my favorite work is the black & white pieces…

Timber Gone, 2008. Charcoal on paper

But beyond the pure joy of seeing the art, the book is rich in its editorial content.

There is a great discussion of Hockney’s love hate relationship with the use of photography and new technology in aiding the artistic process, versus the choice of painting directly from nature.  It supports a better understanding of how Hockney has struggled with the strategy of approaching the landscape, something I have found personally to be a challenge as well.

Nov. 26th, 2010, Woldgate Woods, 9:30 am. Digital video still

 

Painting in the fields.

And we hear from the artist himself about his anticipation to the actual show.  He knew for some time before hand that he would have the space, and worked with that in mind.  This is a layout of the room that held his iPod pieces, an amazing work comprising 51 iPad drawings and a very large painting. As he says in the Preface “All are new, and would not have been conceived without the offer of the Royal Academy’s splendid rooms.”

I am only part of the way through the reading material, although I have studied the reproductions of the art several times already.  At the moment my favorite essay is about returning to the landscape of youth, and Hockney’s ability to find a new motif for his art in his roots. The joy Hockney has in re-discovery of his boyhood haunts is compelling. He confirms what I long suspected.  Life is always a new adventure.

Margaret Drabble's contribution, "The Spirit of Place: A Certain Road to Happiness"

I have many art books, with pages and pages of gorgeous color reproductions. But I must say, this is one of my favorites for the content and editorial. It is so layered with interesting material, both visual and the written word.  I will read it cover to cover.