Ruin Lust - Tate Modern - last few days

Azeville 2006 - Jane & Louise Wilson

I am always missing exhibitions which, when launched, I make a note of wanting to see, then somehow before I know it, it's all over

This time I took the morning out from under my work load and took myself off to Millbank to check out the 'Ruin Lust' exhibition.

Vauxhall looked grim yesterday morning, but the bus took me swiftly to the rear of the Gallery and into the new entrance. So sleek and spacious. Art Fund card at the ready I got in at half-price (thank you son for the wonderful Christmas gift!) a bonus!

The last time I had visited was the Pre-Raphaelite Exhibition and for some reason did not notice the abstract decoration of the stairs leading up to the other galleries. Why? Because its a new wall drawing by David Tremlett , it creates a wonderful colour blast in this large stairwell.

Large space! Walked into a display of enormous proportions, installations created with pallets, chipboard, old dust sheets, cardboard, string, tape, wire, paper,  wooden planks all displayed lying, hanging, piled high, nailed into huge pyramids of .... one visitor asked the Guide if one of the pieces had 'fallen over'!  A bit like the Shard question 'When will they finish it?'. A Tate Britain commission by Phylida Barlow.

No its not fallen, as installed.

I moved on as I could hear the voice of James Mason (would recognise those tones anywhere - annoyingly it was sub-titled in english!!!!). A film was on a continuous loop - The London Nobody Knows 1967' about the Bedford Theatre in Camden, Marie Lloyds's favourite. It included the old time favourite 'The boy I love sits up in the gallery' . I said to the chap who was checking the tickets 'You must know every word of that song by now? he looked at me blankly. Perhaps he had become traumatised? Ok, let's move on.

What is it about ruins?  As a child I love to play in deserted houses, army camps, old mills/factories, as an adult I'm always drawn to the ancient and derelict and have been lucky to live in places such as Cyprus to seek out the amphitheatres and temples, North Africa (Tripoli) trips out into the desert to seek lost cities. At home never happier when visiting a ruined cathedral, church or mansion.  As a City Guide I can see a ruin a day each time I enter the City and am constantly drawn and thinking about timelines, and wonder what it was like to live when ruins were proud edifices. Nostalgia, I'm of an age, when it is with me often.

No photographs allowed in the exhibition and the catalogue is in fact a book, a current trend for galleries it seems, which means the pictures are small and you cannot really appreciate their beauty. A book goes on the shelf and catalogue on display.

Turner appears often, there is also a Constable (note the shepherd with his red kerchief), Paul Nash (including photographs) and Piper, also Dore and an amazing birds-eye view of the Bank of England as built by Soane by Joseph Michael Gandy, its beautiful frontage leading the eye beyond to ruins ... perhaps an omen of what was to come, its eventual destruction.

The photography was particularly moving. Eerie, atmospheric, spooky and often sad and depressing.
Clapton Park Estate being demolished from a series of photographs by Rachel Whiteread. Others Jon Savage Uninhabited London 1977-2008, could only recognise one the Great West Road flyover towards Heathrow. Tacita Dean, remember Sound Mirrors 1999 - film about early-acoustic warning structures? There is whole wall dedicated to her work plus an audio installation - a film about the Kodak factory in France prior to its closing, entirely made of old colour and black and white film stock from that very place. Mesmerizing.

My favourite is the monolith depicted in Azeville 2006 by Jane Wilson and Louise Wilson (see above). An anti-aircraft turret, I think. The size of it, a massive concrete structure, gaping black hole, 'portal into the past' a permanent reminder of WWII - the remains of the Nazis' defensive Atlantic Wall.  http://www.culture24.org.uk/art/photography-and-film/art52708

Another thought provoker and curioustiy arouser,  is John Latham's Derelict Land Act:Five Sisters 1976. Originally a proposal to convert five shale heaps or 'bings' into monuments rathen than excavated and removed. The idea to shape them into five books, with their bindings upwards would have been a sight to see, on a scale much larger than the Angel of the North.  A man way ahead of his time suggesting preserving industrial waste land as a tourist attraction as sculptures; monuments to West Lothian's mining past 'bleak zones as memorials or works in themselves - in short, as ruins.' What a tourist attraction that would have made! Nostalgia again for me, memories of playing on the slag heaps of Wigan!

Slag heap - Wigan 1970s
That could be me on the left!

There are other audio installations too, which reminded me of Mad Men, then I discovered why. I'll leave you to find this one out for yourself.

The exhibition ends on Sunday 18th May, go to it.

A city - any city, every city - is the eradication, even the ruin of the landscape

from which it rose. In its fall, that original landscape sometimes triumphs.

Rebecca Solnit, The Ruins of Memory 2007

The Wax Chandlers Hall & City in Bloom

As part of the Britain in Bloom campaign Friends of City Gardens are supporting the City of London in their 'City in Bloom' nominations.

The gardens and green spaces as you know from previous blogs and my garden walks are very important to the City as areas for rest and relaxation for the workers as well as to encourage bio-diversity within a built environment, plus to add colour, shade and areas of peace and calm.

I am enjoying my role to nominate companies, pubs, restaurants, livery halls, banks et al. From a window box or planter, to an 'avenue' of bay or olive trees, a sunken garden, a high rise arboritum, I'm in there!

It's early days but I have already signed up some delightful displays, the nominations have to be in by the end of June so the judging can start, so if you have a particular favourite City in Bloom area please let me know.

During my search for nominations the Beadle of The Wax Chandlers Hall - they have been winners of The W.C. of Gardeners Awards for several years running, so they are a strong contender for the 'window box' category -  invited me to view their Court and Great Hall.

http://www.waxchandlers.org.uk/the-hall/architectural-story-of-the-hall.php

The Wax Chandlers Hall has been rebuilt and refurbished on several occasions but since the early C19th on the same foundations. In days gone by it was the site of a tavern! The interior was refurbished in the 1980s and I must say they are extraordinarily modern, bright and light and yet in keeping with the old traditions, employing panelling, lighting, curtain treatments, with gorgeous chandeliers to create a refined elegance that enhances the ancient livery and its artefacts.

Stained glass window survived from previous
halls and now on full view in the Court Room.
Previously hung in the stairwell unseen.

Below are listed some of the original members -
one or two of the families continue to be represented in livery

The Charter from Richard III - Only livery company to receive on
from this King

Recently presented with a new Charter by Queen Elizabeth II
This one is in 'plain' english and can be read easily
It refers to the Charters given previously which is considered unusual

The origins of the livery company http://www.waxchandlers.org.uk/origins/index.php

The company in keeping with modern traditions is a member and great supporter of The British Bee Keepers Association.  Bees are very popular in the City of London and several companies keep hives on their roof tops.

It's all Black & White to me!

The last five days ...

What an extraordinary and enjoyable time I’ve been having viewing black and white photographs! The' extraordinary' being the venues as much as the works.

The National Portrait Gallery being least so, but by no means the less (you get my meaning) showing the Bailey’s Stardust Exhibition. http://www.npg.org.uk/whatson/bailey/exhibition.php

With my Art Fund Card in my pink gloved mitt, off I went to join my lovely friend Leigh to view Bailey’s ‘outstanding contribution to photography and the visual arts, creating consistently imaginative and thought-provoking portraits.’ (taken from NPG handout).

There is room after room of photographs, beautifully hung, some high up like the old-style Royal Academy, very effective as some of the rooms are tall and thin. The photographs are well spaced, large and impressive enough to make an impact even on high. There are also coloured prints.

When I think of Bailey I always draw on the film ‘Blow-Up’ by Carlo Ponti, starring David Hemmings, Vanessa Redgrave and Sarah Miles. I’m sort of stuck there! So my favourites tend to be from the 60s and 70s, Jean Shrimpton, Penelope Tree, Rolling Stones, Beatles et al. Bailey’s work of course extends well beyond those decades and he has travelled to far flung places, without the five star comforts to create intimate and often disturbing portraits. See Blow-Up trailer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zu0-keZ4KKY

It is one of those exhibitions that seems never-ending, in this case it is a good thing, the work holds your interest and you are keen to go forward as each room reveals more and more.

The showcases in the final space are fascinating. For the curious it is irresistable. Personal notes, scribbles, LP covers, letters, school reports all sorts of emphemera.  My special favourite is a photograph of Bailey as a young man in the army based in Singapore. Seek out his special dispensation at meal times! I was surprised the army in the 50s countenanced it. He must have also been there about the same time as my Father, that's another story entirely.

Go see. The only downside is the shop, expensive, but as my wiser companion told me, ‘wait until the exhibition closes, then there will be a sale.’  I did however leave with a beautiful postcard of the divine Miss Shrimpton.

More info here: http://www.standard.co.uk/goingout/exhibitions/baileys-stardust-national-portrait-gallery-a-magnificent-david-bailey-retrospective--exhibition-review-9106149.html

On until 1^st June 2014.

Miss B & Miss C dined out at Les Deux Salons, 40-42 William Street, Covent Garden, London WC2N 4DD. An excellent lunch in a charming and sophisticated restaurant with the largest pots of tea I’ve seen recently. Good value.  http://www.lesdeuxsalons.co.uk/

Tower Bridge Exhibition – ‘The Sixties’ – showcase of Cultural Icons of the 1960s

http://www.towerbridge.org.uk/TBE/EN/

Here I met up with Miss Shrimpton again (by Bailey of course)!

Jean Shrimpton
This picture does not appear in the exhibition.

I must confess I had never visited the most famous bridge in the world before so it was a very exciting moment and did not disappoint, all that iron and construction. 

The display of photographs can be found on the impressive West Walkway, 42m above the Thames with stunning views across London. The space is for hire.

 West Walkway

View from West Walkway towards St Pauls

Tower Bridge was designed and created by Sir Horace Jones and engineer Sir John Wolfe Barry, it took eight years to complete and was officially opened on 30 June 1894 by the future King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra, the then Prince and Princess of Wales.

Peter Cook & Dudley Moore
(c) Brian Forbes - 'The Wrong Box'

‘The Sixties’ Exhibition was opened by the lovely Nanette Newman, famous actress and author, also wife of Brian Forbes whose work features in the display - a rare still of Peter Cook and Dudley Moore taken from the ‘The Wrong Box’. One of the Sixties generation herself this lady still looks wonderful.

Nanette Newman on the right with John Scott JP, Chairman of Culture, Heritage
 and Libraries Committee, City of London with wife Claire.

The exhibition is small but perfectly formed and David Wight, Visitor Development and Services Director, City of London Corporation, comments:“This enjoyable and entertaining new photographic exhibition offers a wonderful insight into this exciting decade. Whether you lived through the period yourself or weren’t yet born, this exhibition will definitely spark a lifelong fascination with the people and times of the ‘Swinging Sixties’.”  The added bonus is the captions are in French, German, Spanish and Italian.

David Wight - photograph 1971 and now

Special thanks to the Twitterati who turned out in force and Chantelle Scullion of Seasoned Events for organising the great cocktails and canapes, including Babycham and prawn cocktails. Also Aneela Rose and Francesca Collin from Aneela Rose PR who continue to do great work for the City of London.

Twiggy and lady with lovely bob

Mary Quant

Sara Pink -  Head of Guildhall & City Business, City of London
and MissB 

Back to the National Portrait Gallery but not to central London.

Hampstead’s Village People: Portraits of Cultural Icons - Fenton House, Hampstead Grove, London NW3 6SP (National Trust)

http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/fenton-house/things-to-see-and-do/events/

Kenton House

An exhibition in partnership with the NPG and the NT celebrating famous Hampstead residents at Fenton House,  the heart of the area's cultural life since 1686. Hampstead seems to have always drawn the creative folk, amongst the most famous, John Constable, George Romney and the poet Keats. Even today it is favoured by the likes of Michael Hopkins (architect) and Helena Bonham Carter (actor) and many more. So as it ever was and is likely to remain, the exhibition of black and white photographs is testament to that.

The photographs are drawn from vintage prints as well as contemporary photographers and look and feel right in the large drawing room of Fenton House. 

A punched and sheared
curtain detail

The house itself is described as ‘a cabinet of curiosities’   with something for everyone. Elegant interiors, ceramics, paintings, textiles and furniture plus an extraordinary collection of musical instruments. Also do take time to look out of the windows on the top floors, the views are stunning.  Please look out for the George F Watts painting on the stairwell, and do not get confused, as I did (a senior moment), with William Nicholson’s work and Ben Nicholson (who appears in one of his father’s works). I thought Ben looked good for his age in his exhibition photograph!

From a room with a view - topiary delight!

If the house itself was not enough, the icing on the cake are the beautiful grounds, which include a 300 year old orchard, kitchen garden, formal terraces and lawns, and topiary – delightful. A haven of peace and tranquillity.  It must be said though it is a great place for children to enjoy whilst minders take it in turns to visit the house. Take a picnic!

The ancient orchard with spring planting below

Idyllic - English country garden

MissB also guides at 2 Willow Road, Hampstead, NW3 1TH – a 1930’s house designed by Erno Goldfinger. http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/2-willow-road/