Went round some East End galleries with Andy yesterday. Gilbert and George was good (The White Cube website is a disaster); Bob and Roberta Smith at Hales is also good. If you go to them also go to Kate MacGarry (Matt Bryans erased photos cut out from newspapers and magazines) and Trolley (David Fryer, Sean Flynn and Robert Montgomery - get them to open the basement space over the road for you) on Redchurch Street and then go and get the best Salt Beef beigel in London from this place.
While my wife was out drinking with her bookclub buddies (Philip Roth's Plot against America since you ask) Robert Bresson's Pickpocket was on Artsworld. I've never seen it before and it was excellent. Basically it's Crime and Punishment but with an unexpected dollop of redemption at the end. Shot largely from the point of view of our wastrel pickpocket of the title, it's hardly a realist movie despite the naturalism of the settings, the camerawork and even Bresson's casting of non-actors. The story moves along through visual clues as much as any spoken narrative and works by the seemingly logical progression of one scene simply following the next. If you liked Le Samourai, L'Homme du Train or even Ghost Dog then you'll like this.
Mum's brother Bert used to shoot for Trinidad and Tobago and won some medals.
As the TT Express said recently:
"The name Bert Manhin however, is synonymous with the sport of rifle shooting.
For many years he represented Trinidad and Tobago in rifle shooting at the CAC Games, Pan American Games, Commonwealth Games and Olympics.
He excelled in that discipline and his prizes include one gold, a silver and several bronze medals. "
This is the outside panoramic view to go with the interior panoramic view previously. You probably need the larger view to see anything.
This is from the Rousseau (Henri, not Jean-Jacques) show at Tate Modern. It's pretty rubbish with a few exceptions, the monkey and the naked lady here being one. It's not actually by Rousseau but it's in the opening room to give you an idea what Paris was like in Henri's day (naked monkeys carrying off naked women I suppose).
Anyway, it reminded me of the King Kong sculpture we had in Birmingham about 30 years ago that people complained about (it was in the Bull Ring I think) and it was removed. It was outside a car dealer on Bristol Road (I think) for a while. Apparently it's now in Edinburgh but there's talk of taking it back to Birmingham. You can see it here or read about it here.
Spent a few hours yesterday digging dirt at the allotment and it was fantastic. If I was old before I am officially even older as I can't think of anything I'd rather be doing at the moment. Certainly not compiling 12 months worth of web stats and attempting to put a bit of a shine on them. The green stuff is broad beans.
... that should have been chucked years ago (part one).
We stayed in Portugal in 1991(?) and this is one of the cards that we were handed when we got to the train station. I don't think we stayed there but looking at the card I wish we had.
Garageland launches, Machismo opens.
These pics are part of my work: playing cards that have been modified and photos of drawings in small black frames (that have a tendency to fall from the walls).
These are Steve's pictures of the evening, and these are mine of bits of the show before the crowds arrived. Anyway, the show is on until February.
