Art here and there

I like the surprise art you see when riding the tube.  Sometimes you see paintings, sometimes photos, sometimes poems and sometimes art appears out of nowhere.

Napoleon and a democratic take on royalty: A throne is only a bench covered in velvet.

The peeling remnants of an advertisement or modern art?

Yesterday, I went to see a show at the Whitechapel Art Gallery.  I had heard about an exhibit of a French artist, Sophie Calle.  There were 3 pieces that I just loved.  The biggest and most impressive was called, Take Care of Yourself.  Sophie Calle received an email from a man she was seeing in which he told her he was breaking up with her.  She asked 107 women to analyze the letter.  She sought out the opinion of artists, a criminologist, a translator, a judge, musicians, writers, a diplomat, actresses, an editor, academics, dancers, a clown, a psychiatrist, a family mediator – even a rifle markswoman and a young girl.  They each shared their perspective on the letter either in writing or on video or through art.  It was a wonderful piece and very satisfying for anyone who has ever had their heart broken.

Sophie Calle also did a piece where she went to the Bronx and asked random people to take her to their favorite place in the Bronx.  People took her to a park, a school, a neighborhood and other places and she took photos of them at these places.  The night before the opening of her show of these photos, someone broke into the gallery and did graffiti all over the photos.  She was quite pleased by this because it captured the way this rough New York neighborhood looks.

The last piece of Sophie Calle’s that I loved was a series of photos she took of a phone booth in New York.  When she moved to New York City, she asked a friend for advice about living in the city.  He told her to smile at people, give them presents and find a piece of city to take care of.  She decided she would count the number of smiles she exchanged with strangers.  She also brought sandwiches and cigarettes with her when she went out and she offered them to people she met along the way.  The part of the city that she decided to take care of was a phone booth.  She decorated it and put food, candy, cigarettes, flowers, note paper and writing utensils, and things to drink in it.  She also put 2 chairs next to it.  She recorded some of the conversations people had on the phone as well.  It was a very fun idea and it revealed much about life in New York.  I wish I could describe it better!

Of course, a blog post from me wouldn’t be complete without some sort of rant against war.  The Whitechapel also had a room with some somber anti-war pieces.  Three stand out: video footage of Vietnam Veterans giving testimony of the realities of warfare in that country, a sculpture of Colin Powell and a tapestry of the famous painting by Pablo Picasso called Guernica.  This painting was done in response to the bombing of the town, Guernica, during the Spanish Civil War and it truly captures the horror of war.  The tapestry has been hanging in the United Nations and was brought to London to display in this museum.  I learned that it was covered up when Colin Powell gave his speech to the UN in the lead up to the war in Iraq.  It is hard to go to war if you think about what war really means for people.  It’s easier if you hide the truth.

Colin Powell

The sculptor and I share an anger towards Colin Powell for his contribution to starting the war in Iraq.

Guernica, the tapestry, not the painting which is in Spain. The blue carpet is the same color as the carpet in the United Nations.

Again, war and horses...

War, huh, yeah...

Good God!

What is it good for?

Absolutely nothing!

Say it again!

War, huh, yeah, good God, what is it good for? ABSOLUTELY NOTHING!

The Tower of London

I have neglected UKMSA for awhile because we have had some friends visit from America (so FUN!)  Also, I have been working a lot more as a substitute teacher than I was before.  It is good to be making money so I can be a busy tourist, but working cuts down on my time to be one!  Still, I manage to get out and about a lot.

A few weeks ago, I took advantage of a free day and went to visit the Tower of London.  Here are some photos from that day.  I could never do the Tower justice by trying to tell you all the interesting bits of information.  Here’s a brief description:

“Founded nearly a millennium ago and expanded upon over the centuries since, the Tower of London has protected, housed, imprisoned and been for many the last sight they saw on Earth.  It has been the seat of British government and the living quarters of monarchs … the site of renowned political intrigue, and the repository of the Crown Jewels … It has housed lions, bears, and (to this day) flightless ravens … not to mention notorious traitors and framed members of court, lords and ministers, clergymen and knights.” (sorry – I can’t find the site where I found this – so I am not giving credit where credit is due.)

If you want to learn more, I thought this website offers a good virtual tour: http://www.toweroflondontour.com/album.html

Here is the first view I had of the Tower of London when I came out of the tube station. As you can see, the Tower is actually made up of many towers with names like White, Middle, Beauchamp, Wakefield, Salt, Bell, Martin, Lion, Byward, St Thomas, Garden, Tower Green, and the infamous Bloody Tower.

An ad for an exhibit of armor

See the catapult (trebuchet?  I can never remember the difference despite the many times Strafford students have tried to help me with this)?  I really wish we could take a field trip to the Tower when we study the Middle Ages.  When I was there, a school group was learning about medieval warfare, among other things.

I think we should have targets to shoot at when we do the medieval fair.

Kids learning how to storm the castle. In the background is an office building known as the "gherkin" for obvious reasons!

Where are the swords, shield, battle axes, and armor?!

She's waiting for the attack of the schoolchildren.

Ceremonial guards, guarding the Crown Jewels which are kept at the Tower of London.

Here's a picture of a "Beefeater" on watch. She's the only woman Beefeater on duty at the Tower. You must have served in the military with distinction for a minimum of 20 years to be considered for the job of Beefeater. They live in apartments at the Tower and perform many ceremonial duties, such as Key Ceremony in the evening which is when the Tower is locked up for the night. This tradition has been going on for centuries. Unfortunately, women Beefeaters have not been around for centuries and it is hard for some people to change tradition. Just last week, this woman filed harassment charges against some of her fellow guards.

Hope you enjoyed the tour of the Tower of London!

Radio, horses and shows

I love listening to the radio everywhere I go.  I enjoyed it when I was driving in Arizona some years ago and I heard a Navajo station.  I didn’t understand the language, obviously, but occasionally I would hear “computer” or “secretary day”.  The same sort of thing happened when I was driving in Italy, listening to Radio Slovenia.  I only occasionally understood the names of the bands but it was interesting anyway, trying to tell by the intonations whether it was the news or a commercial and listening to the music.

I have enjoyed listening to the BBC Radio 4 station here.  It is a mix of everything:  news, interviews, stories about people, radio soap operas, and rebroadcasts of old programs.  The other day I heard recordings of people who had been interviewed about their role in the woman’s suffrage movement in the United Kingdom.  It is so great when you can hear the voices and see the photos of people who made history.  They were playing an interview with a man who had supported the women in their quest to get the right to vote.  He took photos of the protest marches.  He hid the camera in his top hat and he would cough when he took a photo to mask the sound of the shutter.  I was only half listening really but the program caught my attention when the man spoke of a “famous” photo of a suffragist being knocked down by a horse.   I decided to look it up and after a bit of searching, I found a story about a suffragette (Emily Davison) who jumped out of the crowd onto a racetrack at the Epsom Derby, and tried to grab the reins of a running horse.  There was footage of it actually.  Of course, my first thought, being the good horse girl that I am, was what happened to the horse (Anmer)!?  The horse survived – no broken anything.  Then I worried about the jockey (Herbert “Diamond” Jones), who also recovered after a concussion.  The woman died.  Poor crazy thing.  But what really moved me was the fact that the jockey never really recovered after that.  He lost 3 brothers in WW I and he drifted and he eventually committed suicide.  And then I read that he had attended Emmeline Pankhurst’s funeral in 1928 – she was one of the most famous of the suffragettes.  He laid a wreath at her grave and it said: “To do honour to the memory of Mrs Pankhurst and Miss Emily Davison.”

If you are so inclined, you can see it all at: www.nikelinthemachine.com/category/epsom/

Speaking of horses – I went to see a play called War Horse on Friday.  It was based on a book for children about a boy and a horse and WW I.  As it seems to happen to me here, it was a coincidence that I saw two plays about WW I in two days.  I had seen a one man show the day before about a man who fought in WW I called My Real War 1914 – ?.  The play was based on letters he had written home when he was in the trenches. The actor and the script were both excellent and I was reminded of some of the basic facts about the “war to end all wars”.  War Horse is the story of a horse, Joey, who is lovingly raised by a boy and then taken away to be used as a cavalry horse in the war.  The boy joins the army to find Joey.  The most amazing thing about this play are the puppets.  The horses are life-size puppets with three puppeteers needed to bring each one to life.  They are big enough for the actors to ride.  It is impossible to describe how incredibly beautiful and real the puppets were.  They made the exact movements and sounds real horses make.  It was breathtaking.  And it had a happy ending unlike My Real War 1914 – ?.

 

On a much lighter note, last night I was lucky enough to go hear a band called Grizzly Bear play with the London Symphony Orchestra.  The melding of the classical and the contemporary was also breathtaking.  Grizzly Bear is a relatively new band, taking off.  Check them out: http://www.myspace.com/grizzlybear

And that is why I love living in London!

Hoxton

I went to Hoxton yesterday.  Someone near and dear to me, Joan, grew up there.  She was living there during World War II when the Germans started their bombing of London, known as the Blitz.  I am going to cut corners and paste a short explanation of the Blitz from Wikipedia:

The Blitz was the sustained bombing of Britain by Nazi Germany between 7 September 1940 and 10 May 1941, in World War II. While the Blitz hit many towns and cities across the country, it began with the bombing of London for 57 consecutive nights.^[3] By the end of May 1941, over 43,000 civilians, half of them in London, had been killed by bombing and more than a million houses were destroyed or damaged in London alone.

That just gives the bare facts.  The Blitz devastated London and the lives of the people living there.   Buildings and neighborhoods were obliterated by the bomb blasts and fire.  Businesses and jobs were lost forever.  Everyone lost a loved one if not their life.  And families were torn apart.  Many children were sent to live in the countryside, often with complete strangers.  Can you imagine being a child and facing the fear of the bombing as well as being separated from people and places you know and love?

I went to the Imperial War Museum last February and took photos of some posters in an exhibit about children during war.  I found it a moving exhibit, made personal by my connection to Joan who was a child when it happened.  In fact, she was evacuated to the countryside for safety just a few days before her 12th birthday.

You can see the look of worry on this mum's face as she gives her children over to the care of someone who was more than likely a stranger to her and her family.

It isn't hard to imagine how hard it was for families to do this. For families to be separated, especially during such a scary time, must have been impossibly difficult.

This poster was intended to help remind parents that their children were safest out in the countryside, away from London. A ghost of Hitler is pointing to the city and whispering in the mother's ear, "Take them back. Take them back. Take them back."

As if evacuation and the Blitz weren’t bad enough, people were always worried that the Germans would use chemical warfare to kill them.  Everyone was issued a gas mask and they had to carry it with them at all times.  If you didn’t have it you could be stopped and reprimanded.  Even babies and children needed to have one.

The gas mask was in a box with a string attached so you could carry it easily.

This is a child's gas mask. I would think the disguise might have made it a little less scary for a kid.

Of course, soldiers had gas masks as well.

This is the most compelling anti-war poster I have ever seen.

There were also posters that encouraged the people of the country to pull together and do what they could to help fight the war.

Children could help grow food.

The war affected food production so the British government set up rationing. You were given a ration book which entitled you to a specific amount of food each week. Everybody got the same ration of food unless they had a medical condition which required them to eat specific food to stay healthy. Children were looked out for - this poster obviously points out the need for them to have plenty of milk.

Sometimes there was a food item that was too scarce to ration because there wasn't enough of it for everyone to have some. This food was "off the ration" meaning you weren't allotted a specific amount of it in your ration book. If you wanted a food item that was "off the ration" then you had to find it on your own. I cannot read the small writing on this photo of the poster so I am not sure about the zoo exhibition part of it. But Joan told me that chickens in particular were rare during the war. People didn't eat chicken as much in Great Britain even before the war. She remembers family Sunday dinners when one very small chicken would be shared between 8 people.

Potatoes were a good source of nutrition and could be grown easily in Great Britain. Can you see what game they are playing? I think the poster would help to boost morale by reminding people of the happier things in life.

To "Go by Shanks's Pony" means to walk. People were encouraged not to use public transportation so trains and subways could be used by soldiers and those who couldn't walk easily.

Women were encouraged to do what they could to help support the soldiers.

Socks, blankets, sweaters, scarves and other clothing were needed so people could help by knitting.

Rich people could sell their jewelry to raise money for the Red Cross.

People could buy war loan bonds to help raise money for the military as well.

People were encourage not to waste money. This is a "squander bug" meant to encourage thrift and wise spending.

"Keeping mum" can mean to keep you mouth shut and watch what you say as well as taking care of mom. When I moved to New Hampshire in 1971, I remember there was an ad on the radio for Narragansett beer with the slogan, "Loose lips sink ships". It means that if you say something that could give the enemy information, it could bring harm to the soldiers. So you needed to always be very careful what you said and who you said it to. There were spies everywhere. The walls have ears - the enemy could be listening! (I can't remember just what that had to do with beer!)

People could help disabled veterans by helping them find work to do.

To bring this back to Hoxton where we began, here are some photos of Hoxton today.  By the way, the name Hoxton comes from Hogs Town so this was once a place where pigs were raised and sold.

This is where the building stood that housed Joan and her family and their tailor shop before it was bombed during the Blitz. When the building was destroyed, Joan and her family lost their home and the family business as well. Today, the site is a park.

Homes, businesses and other good things were destroyed by the bombing, including this famous toy theatre shop.

Joan pointed out that the skyline is low and most of the buildings are new.

Life goes on in Hoxton today.  There is a street market and places to rent and new businesses.  There’s even a mosque which reflects the large number of Muslim immigrants who have come to live in London.

I took this picture just because it reminded me of a record company I used to work for in New York called Acme Music Corporation.

This is a business that makes heart monitoring systems.

See the minaret of the mosque behind the modern office building?

Life goes on in London but the scars of the Blitz are visible everywhere some 69 years or so later.  I like to think that most of the people in the world detest war and if their voices were heard, there would be no more fighting.  In Great Britain they have the same show as American Idol only it is called The X Factor.  I took a picture of this banner on the street that encourages people to vote.  Maybe if everyone who wanted to end war would vote, we would all have happier lives.

That ends my post about Hoxton and World War II in London.  Peace out, loves.

The Fourth Plinth

I am sorry to see the Fourth Plinth art project to go.  Here are some of the artists I missed.

** Plinth art project draws to close **

Antony Gormley’s Fourth Plinth art project in London’s Trafalgar Square is coming to an end after 100 days.
< http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/em/fr/-/1/hi/entertainment/arts_and_culture/8305442.stm >

** In pictures: The fourth plinth **

Images from the people who took part in Antony Gormley’s One and Other exhibition, by spending an hour on the fourth plinth in London’s Trafalgar Square.
< http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/em/fr/-/1/hi/entertainment/8305514.stm >

Gay Paris!

Hello again, dear reader!  Sorry it’s been so long since my last post.  I have been busy with workaday things like setting up a bank account (more complicated here than I am used to) and finally starting to tutor and substitute teach.  So I haven’t had as much to write about as before.  I did go to a play a few weeks ago.  I saw Bertolt Brecht’s Mother Courage at the National Theatre and I loved it.   It is a play about a woman, Mother Courage, who makes her living following the troops, selling them provisions, during the 30 Years War in Europe in the 1600s.  The production was big – over the top, really – and that is why I loved it and some critics hated it.  Here are some quotes from the play that I liked:

“What they could do with ’round here is a good war. What else can you expect with peace running wild all over the place? You know what the trouble with peace is?   No organization.”

“Don’t tell me peace has broken out.”

“From the cradle to the coffin underwear comes first.”

I found other quotes from Brecht that I liked but I am too lazy (and ignorant!) to find the context where they came from but they stand on their own anyway.

“The world of knowledge takes a crazy turn when teachers themselves are taught to learn.”

“Right is its own defense.”

“Science knows only one commandment – contribute to science.”

“Because things are the way they are, things will not stay the way they are.”

“Hungry man, reach for the book: it is a weapon.”

“People remain what they are even if their faces fall apart.” (Ain’t it the truth?!)

“What happens to the hole when the cheese is gone?”

I also went for a wonderful long walk with friends a few weeks ago but I forgot my camera.  Highlights include a stroll through Hyde Park on a beautiful Sunday afternoon and a sidewalk display of art for sale on the edge of the park.  We stopped at a crowded pub for a refreshment and we got a wonderful table easily because it was the only table in the place that didn’t have a view of the tv.  The pub was full of people watching a big football (soccer) match between Chelsea and Liverpool.  I loved the sound of the crowd when the game got exciting, which was pretty much the whole time we were there.  We ended our walk at a Chinese Restaurant called Four Seasons.  I was told by my friend who has lived in Singapore that people from Singapore stop by this restaurant on their way to the airport to by some duck to take back to Singapore.  I found out why.  I never thought that I really liked duck too much but clearly I was wrong.  The meal was excellent and I already can’t wait to go back.

As if days like that aren’t good enough, I was lucky enough to go to Paris this past weekend.  Of course I haven’t been to that many places in the world, but without a doubt, Paris is the most beautiful city I’ve ever been to.  And the food is delightful wherever you go.  I was able to see an old roommate from college whom I haven’t seen in several years.  He has been living in Paris for the past 11 years.  He and his family don’t just live in Paris – they live in an incredibly beautiful apartment in an old Paris apartment building.  The view from their living room windows is of the amazing rooftops Paris is so famous for.  We had a really nice lunch together and did a lot of catching up.  The food was all delicious but the creme de la creme was the cheese course at the end of the meal.  I love all cheeses but the French have figured out how to make cheese that tastes like heaven.  I will try to get back to you about the names of the different kinds of cheese – I was too busy enjoying my baguette and cheese to pay close enough attention to the specific names.

Here are some photos of a happy day spent wandering around this amazing city.

An example of an elegant Parisian building along the Seine River. Notice the glimpse of the rooftop.

Some glimpses of the Seine, where lovers are known to enjoy a walk.

The famous church, Notre Dame, can be seen in the background.

Here's a closer view of Notre Dame.

And Charlemagne in front of it.

Some people live on houseboats on the river. I liked the plants this person has growing on their deck.

One of the reasons I love cities is because you are always stumbling upon little fun surprises. This blues band was playing, "Georgia On My Mind" right next to the houseboat at 9:30 am on a Sunday morning.

Another surprise - a marathon

Like any other big city, Paris is trying to find ways for people to get around the city without pollution and congestion. I loved this idea. For one euro, you can rent one of these bikes. You can ride it anywhere in the city and drop if off at another place. These bike stations are all over the place. I walked all over the city this time. I look forward to riding the bikes next time.

I thought this was a fun sign.

And this was cool.

Some chocolate Halloween pumpkins - it's too bad I didn't take any photos of the cakes I saw in another window. No one does cakes and pastries like the French.

speaking of food

another mini French lesson

Ask Madame Evans if you can’t translate those movie posters or this sign on a bank door.

I saw another statue of a famous American in a European city.  He is holding a drawing of his home in Virginia, Monticello.

I saw some interesting sculptures on the way to my favorite museum on the Left Bank of the Seine River.

The Musee D’Orsay, one of my favorite museums, is in a former train station.  I only got a few photos because I couldn’t figure out how to turn the flash off my camera and the rule is no flash.  But it doesn’t really matter because you have to go to the museum in person to really see it anyway.  It is the home of many famous pieces of art.  If you haven’t gone, go before you die!

The Musee D'Orsay - the building is as beautiful as the art.

I need more time at the Musee D'Orsay!

As a Social Studies teacher, I have to share a photo of the Assemblee Nationale where French laws are made.

And two photos of France’s famous motto which are important concepts in our political history as well: Liberte, Egalite, Fraternite.  What does that motto mean to you?

(I need to find out how to put the accents on the French letters!)

Lastly, I am SO lucky to have seen two of the most spectacular things in the world.  The first of these two special sites I saw was the ceiling of the Palais Garnier, the old Opera house in Paris.  On my way to see this building, I took a photo of another, more modern Opera house in the city,  L’Opera de la Bastille.  I happen to like both the old and the new.

L'Opera Bastille

And the old... Le Palais Garnier

Some details:

I overheard a tour guide say that this sculpture was scandalous when it first appeared. Women weren't supposed to enjoy dancing naked like this in public!

And now for my favorite thing about the Paris Opera House: the ceiling in the theatre.  It is a painting by the artist Marc Chagall.  You have to see it to believe it.  Hopefully these blurry photos will inspire you to go.

As if that wasn’t enough for one day in Paris, I also went to the famous Sainte Chapelle.  It was a chapel built in the 1200s for the King of France.  Here are some photos of the stunning stained glass windows, lovely walls and beautiful floor.

The windows tell stories from the Bible.

The French Fleur-De-Lis

I could have stayed to enjoy the beauty of Sainte Chapelle for a very long time but it was closing time.  I took one last look up, then I left out a door that reminded me that the place was 800 years old.  Down the stairs and outside to see the chapel from the outside, gargoyles and all.

A few more parting photos…

I hope you enjoyed this glimpse of gay Paris.  With any luck, I’ll have more glimpses to share before my year here is over.

Cheers, Love!

Stay calm and carry on!

Better it is to get wisdom than gold

I went to the Natural History Museum with a friend today.  I had wanted to see the Charles Darwin exhibit.  We wandered around a little bit, looking at huge fossils and lots of stuffed birds.  We went to the earthquake exhibit room where they had a simulation of an earthquake – the floor shook under our feet and the furniture and dishes in the exhibit rattled and teetered.  Just as we were heading to the Darwin exhibit, a voice came on the loudspeaker telling everyone to evacuate the building.  Everyone shuffled off towards the exits and the building was emptied.  We think it may have been just a drill because there were 2 guards walking in front of us and they seemed pretty laid back.

We walked across the street to the Victoria and Albert Museum.  We didn’t go inside but I saw something interesting on the outside of the building.  Can you guess what?

"The damage to these walls is the result of enemy bombing during the blitz of the second world war 1939-1945 and is left as a memorial to the enduring values of this great museum during conflict"

The nightmare of the blitz, the Nazi bombing of London during WW II, still haunts this city.  On a beautiful sunny day, after being evacuated from one museum feeling tense and nervous about terrorists, there in front of me was a reminder that violence is timeless and life goes on.

English word of the day: "varifocal" We call them progressive lenses and I need them because I can't drive or thread a needle without glasses. It's nice to have one pair of glasses that can help me see everything.

I just read that Strafford School is closed Thursday and Friday due to structural problems.  I hope the weather is beautiful for your days off and I hope the building gets fixed soon and that it doesn’t cost a lot of quid, love!