Day 8 London – Art Day

Drawings on Photographic paper - Artist to be supplied

A stuffed Mountain Goat and Cement - Beautiful and striking (artist name to come)

Skilful painting still around in Britain at the Saatchi gallery

Installations which are quirky and well executed at Saatchi

Some fabulous expressionistic painting- better in the flesh!

I know, you think I have already seen enough art – but there is just so much in London, more than I remember in New York. What a City!

I was one of the first to gain entry into the Saatchi Gallery, and absolutely delighted to see the New British Part 11 Exhibition – only wish I could also have seen Part 1. The painting was impressive and so, too, the sculpture. I took my time and many photos, both for my students and my own studio practice. In many case, a version of abstract expressionism proved to be alive and well, but done with a modern twist, whilst some beautifully subtle paintings which were spare in that Luke Tuymans way demanded a longer, second and fourth look. There was a board displaying photos of the artists and info, including their dates of birth – sadly, I wouldn’t get a look in just on that score, let alone anything else. Oh well, I may well have to remain a spectator at these types of exhibitions.

I then wandered Sloane Square and Chelsea, entering the Chelsea Art Show with a free ticket. It took me about 10 minutes to realise this was nothng more than Art Sydney with a bigger price tag, so decided to save my eyes and take a seat at the “original Cornwall Pasti Shop. Pretty bad fare, the worst I have had so far – A pasti really is a pasti anywhere, so Hiked off to Whitechapel Gallery.

Here there was a disappointing exhibition of modern work – all badly executed. What’s wrong with skills? And the building is confusing in its gallery lay out. However, the stuff were extremely helpful, and armed with their information, I took myself by bus to the Vyner St Galleries (in, I think, Shorditch??) and saw, again, some super painting as well as interesting sculptural installations and exceptional photography. Unfortunately, the names will need to be added later (I am writing hurriedly in the kitchen at Mojacar and the info is packed away in my suitcase), but the pics are here.

No Luck seeing White Cube, another bus ride away, as it was closed on Sunday. But it lead me to Hoxton Square, a lovely collection of galleries and groovy bars around a typically English square set behind the busy roads near the tube. I entered a Bar decorated with Cattle skulls (I love these) and an eclectic mix of old furniture, specimen cabinets, flouro lighting and candles. A very good Risotto and, yes, another Merlot were consumed to the sounds of a DJ in a place where I was at least 20 years =older and not the right sex for the rest of the prowling occupants, but it is a measure of my growing “comfortable in my own Ski” factor that I enjoyed the whole experience.

I then managed the tube like a Londoner, returning via Elephant and Castle Station and bus direct to home in about 25minutes. Wonderful!