Flying into Zurich this morning after a 14hr
overnight flight from Hong Kong, I was gifted with an amazing sight. The sun
had not yet risen but sent a promising glow across the horizon. It was lightly
raining diffusing the light further. I turned my monitor to the camera that is
mounted underneath the plane and the image was exquisite. I thought it was
black and white – it looked like an old daguerreotype with layers of tone
revealing an undulating landscape. As we approached the landing strip two lines
of light came into view. At first they were little pinpricks but as they grew
they began to emit a warm light until they glowed intense gold in the
desaturated landscape. They lead nowhere – coming to an abrupt end just below
the skyline: the same place where we stopped.
Then Heathrow…!@#%&*!! However –
Heathrow is the gateway to London – this Mecca of treasures… another lug across
town (refer Heathrow sentiment) and into my apartment in Clerkenwell. This is a
great spot – very close to Farringdon station and all sorts of providores and
coffee houses.
After a rest and a blessed shower I
ventured across town to the British Museum.
I was completely blown away. Completely. I
have never seen so many treasures in one place – I never knew I was interested
in so many things. What prodigious plunderers the British were and I suppose we
should be grateful that this was at least combined with the sense to catalogue
and preserve.
I concentrated my energies on the prints
and drawings room and the relics of ancient Greece… more than enough for an
afternoons wandering. I think that if I lived here I would become a member and
explore a few rooms only on each visit.
Germany Divided: Baselitz and his
generation was the feature exhibition in the prints and drawings room and
focused on the post 1945 works of German artists from both sides of the iron
curtain. I was most drawn to the works of Gerhard Richter – who really explored
all ways of approaching expression. He had a collection of photographs that he
called ‘The Atlas’ – I have posted a picture here as I feel there is an element
of observation and aesthetic that I already share with his Atlas.
Ancient Greece – It is marvelous to imagine
this time BC and to actually see objects that were made and used by the people
of this incredible civilization. Across the vast collection of red and black
figured ceramics, the representations of the human body and human emotion is so
knowingly observed and all areas of social life are given consideration. It is
evident that this was a society actively conscious of their ability to love and
fight and create beauty.
In the evening my lovely cousin Georgie took me out to a restaurant called the Tramshed and Cock 'n Bull Gallery where one can dine under a distinctive Damien Hirst installation of a bull and rooster in formaldehyde. The menu is simple - chicken or beef.
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