Back I go again..

My first foray was fascinating and I wanted another bite of this cherry.

I'd read about a work called Thamesmead Codex and having lived there for many years in the past, I wanted to go and have a look.

I wasn't disappointed. 

I presume the deer have happened recently; I remember English Cobs roaming the marshland, getting in buildings and rubbing on cars.

This is so reminiscent of stage 1.

Another image made me smile too. It brought back so many memories.

Yes, the lake, the swans, the parade of shops, doctors surgery and the row of tower blocks along Yarnton Way.

Yes, I was happy there and had a great life.

I then moved to another set of galleries where I was made to think, ponder and relate my thoughts to what I saw, how I interpreted it - a series of forms.

A pile of sand, a box made of cement and filled with smaller concrete pieces, a tall rectangular piece of wood with scoops of wood removed and a woven basket made of willow.

One man walking past interpreted it as a waste of time. 

Another reckoned he could leave his hat and gloves there and it been seen as art......

Yes, I will admit, I used to think that way too.

Now I interpret. I think. I use my life experiences and the artist's commentary to create my unique thoughts.

My interpretation?

The sand unless contained will always flow as it wishes, using its own free will to form whatever it chooses to be.

The concrete is Mans' way of exerting control over the environment around it. By creating concrete boxes we control the environment we live in, work in and entertain ourselves in.

The wood reflected its own natural beauty which we use to enhance our concrete boxes. But it doesn't matter how we shape it, form it, cut it, it remains as it was, wood.

The willow basket was taking something natural which could be controlled, tamed, altered to be as we wished, which, in this case was a basket. But we could force it to be anything we wished, it is pliable and compliant with our desires.

If these represent human conditions then the parallels leap out at me.

I wandered into other spaces and watched numerous thought provoking shorts. So much I'm once more on sensory overload 

Now I'm back home and ready to explore my art again.

Differently this time.

Tate Modern - a first foray

The weather was how shall we say? Between storms. Isha had past over and we were preparing for Jocelyn. 

I decided to take the quieter time to head up to an art gallery I have failed to visit in all the time I have lived in and around London; Tate Modern on Bankside, just a short walk from London Bridge tube and rail link.

No one could say it's a pretty building but inside is an amazing labyrinth of galleries, balconies, staircases and whisper lifts.

El Anatsui’s Behind the Red Moon

This blew me away. I walked from the Blavatnik Building to the other side and caught a glimpse of this high up, going across the bridge. Wow, it's huge for a start.

I spent my time on level 3 in the Blavatnik building. Some challenging ideas and thoughts, some of which were very thought provoking indeed.

One section which I would suggest is not suitable for young children or those boys in early pubity is a room of male nudity created by a group of Chinese artists after the atrocities of Tianaman Square. I found it fascinating on many levels, but a group of 14 to 16 year old boys found the whole thing too erotic/embarrassing/hormone producing/alpha responding to be able to curtail their pheromones. Pew.

They do say art provokes responses...well this room certainly provoked many expected ones. I felt one child's fears and confusion as she looked around with fear in her eyes and clung to her mother's coat. Now she shouldn't have been there.

Anyway, it does state discretion required.

This was very interesting; the gorilla girls; looking at how exploitation of female workers has been challenged over the years and improvements in pay. Well worth visiting this room documenting the challenges.

I loved this whole section; the challenging of stereotypes. Could have spent hours in this room, but even on this one floor, there was so much to see.

Sadly, I didn't stop long enough to read all the information. I was suffering from stimulus overload by this time.

ITSU was calling so leaving I have vowed to return; there are other floors and other galleries just waiting for me to pour my mind over.