Crappy mobile. Crappy pictures. Few good angles, though, I hope.
Taken in December 2014.
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A special thank to this man, the only one who always sings my name to speak to me. And also the same ONE who does not read my blog…
Tag Archives: London
Anselm Kiefer. Exhibition at the Royal Academy of Arts, London
I came full of expectations, got stroked by the sacred Art itself, and left in a glass case of emotions.
Photo courtesy Royal Academy of Arts. Photography: James Harris / © Anselm Kiefer.
By the time I steamed my enthusiasm off I started wondering what the hell happened to me in there. Then I started feeling a little slice of disappointment running into my veins, from the heart to the brain. Let’s proceed one step at a time.
The solo exhibit at the Royal Academy of Arts, wonderfully organised, gave me lots of great moments, such it’s poignant. 12 rooms in total, from the early works to special installations made for the Academy, an actual path to explore Kiefer the artist in a fluid flux along the building, majestic feature and background.
Hall. © Anselm Kiefer
The official website states:
“Kiefer’s extraordinary body of work includes painting, sculpture and quite simply monumental installations. Uncompromising in the subject matter he tackles, Kiefer’s work powerfully captures the human experience and draws on history, mythology, literature, philosophy and science.”
I loved the composition in the rooms, the visitors were flooding in every possible spot, yet the dynamics between artworks and people was perfect. I also loved having the chance to check out the early works.
Early work © Anselm Kiefer
I guess it is about time to explain why I love so much Kiefer. As I already wrote, the term “poignant” could be the only meaningful explanation. To be more talkative (it’s a blog, for Lord’s sake!) Kiefer is a post-war German artist that worked on crucial themes such as history, religion, mythology and more. A mix of anthropology, ethnology, and more. I could keep writing stuff and ass “and more” and it would not still been enough. Kiefer is the kind of artist that never stops going a bit further with investigating the human being, its actions, its spiritual side. On a personal level his relationship God-Man is also vastly investigated, as visitors can see in his works with sunflowers and the ones with diamonds.
The use of materials is also an important part of Kiefer’s production. Wood: his childhood; Seeds: religion and life; Stones and Steel: history. And more. Everything seems to have a meaning and this aspect is sometimes endearing, sometimes overwhelming.
© Anselm Kiefer
Anselm I am sorry I took some pics, it was prohibited and I learnt it only after been told off by guards!
Now, what I realised I didn’t like about the exhibition, that little disappointment was the fact that 2 big topics were missing: the holocaust and more about the Bible, like the Genesis. Also the books and memory topic could have exponentially improved.
I remember a young myself visiting White Cube London some years ago, and falling in love with Palm Sunday and Aperiatur Terra by Kiefer. Oh my days, that exhibit has still a hold on me. It was everything. And more.
I didn’t see anything of those topics, and my little heart cried a little, I must admit.
Courtyard © Anselm Kiefer
Courtyard © Anselm Kiefer
Anyway, I have to wrap this blog post I am writing on a Saturday evening in a nice pub of Clapham Old Town, so I am going to invite everybody in London to go visit the Royal Academy of Arts in Central London and pay the ticket for a Kiefer experience. It’s worthy. And more.
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LAST WEEK TO SEE KIEFER AT RA! (it ends on Dec 14th!) https://www.royalacademy.org.uk/exhibition/anselm-kiefer
August: North London
August was the life-changing month of the year. Maybe? Errr..Maybe.
The reality sometimes is blurry, even when you put on focus with your best intent.
What an awful overrated way to start this blog. Apologies. I can do better, yes I can.
August was the month I changed the travelling I speak in this blog in a moving…terrific! It’s like travelling to the power of three. Mathematical!
Well I jumped and dove into an occasion: destination London! Real destination: North London, suburb of the suburb, pretty much ex-Middlesex now silly Greater London ( to be honest, what’s not Greater London?)…I moved there, on temporary basis to chase some dreams.
N13 on my mind
Travelling with a baggage of expectations and hopes is both exciting and scary. It’s the moment of your life when you pack the necessary (that happens it’s never enough), you leave a place you love and hate at the same time and you start a new daily routine, cancelling every aspect can be slightly tourist in a new environment (like spending money easily).
Have you ever chased a dream? Is your dream to have an adventure or more to find a new normality to build again your soul on? For me, it’s more the second one: please call me outdated but I find more compelling to use every possible way to be happy, and stability, even for only some months is kinda happiness. I hate the fact you have to settle down in a place that is no more so inspiring for you to progress and improve. I like watching outside the window and see possibilities more than the actual weather. So travelling, in my opinion, is to look for new stability and chances.
I moved from Germany to UK, and the change is funny and and at the same time a bit shocking: the high cost of life, the crazy way to drive on (my copyright) the wrong side of the road, kebab replaced by fried chicken and many others. I am very blessed to be really adaptable and loved aspects from both sides, but I must admit I love that here everybody is nice and educated, not for nature but convention. Let’s state the fact that customer service is really a customer-oriented service. D’oh! Germany please update yourself on that direction and put a smile upon your face, for all our sakes.
London is a city I know pretty well, so during this time I didn’t spend so much crazy tourist activity, reducing it to go some place I like, and mostly living the joy of suburb.
One is to walk along the neighbourhood and see one father teaching the son how to ride the bike. Or the famous London taxi parked outside “off-duty”.
What an adorable couple!
Or teenagers on a wall drinking and arguing about reality shows ( how many reality shows are there? Jeebus!), playing a bit of rapper gansta but looking absolutely cute and harmless.
One thing that really impresses me about UK is the clouds: they are changing so fast and look so light but at the same time strong and independent, blowing where they want. I put down in words what I’ve always thought from the first time I came to this land: clouds move to tears if you look deep at them.
How many feelings can you count while watching this picture?
When I get bored of suburb I get the first train and go get spoilt in some museums. God save British free museums, indeed. Inspiration can start everywhere, here it’s even easier.
British Museum
Parks also here are absolutely stunning and overcrowded by ducks, geese. You can always find nice people to have a chat with and during weekends it’s full of people and family.
It’s reassuring that wherever I go, there’s a park I will feel home and in peace.
Broomfield Park
June: London
There are trips you lovely organize, with your mental must-do list. Otherwise there are trips you are excited about, because what you decide is just the destination, and the rest is discover.
But travelling has lots of shades, and this could be one of that. In June, after a massive stormy month and an incredible lack of money (irrelevant), I took a short intense break where in 2 day I managed to assist a great rock concert: yes, here I am again, chasing a dream of pure fun stationed behind a microphone.
When you root for a passion, you feel so good when you actually put your interest in activity and go to the front line: if you support a team, you must be at the stadium once in awhile, if you believe in God, you feel the need to assist at a ceremony, and if you love music, so music is your religion, that guides you to a live gig.
Music is a urge, is your natural vitamin you take without skipping any day. And what’s best to show your love with other sweaty followers. If you are into music, a concert is like making love; the more you do it, the more you like it, the more you want to do and like it. Cheeky, I know. But it’s the truth, unless you’re apathetic or completely ignorant about music (if you’re listed there, I am so sorry for you).
Let’s condensate the trip in numbers: 8 hours travelling and 5 at the airport, 1 train -1 car -1 bus-2 flights taken, 1 village and 1 city, 2 bottles of wine, 2 tickets, 1 gig.
And what an enjoyable gig, friends.
And what a nail-biting city, London.
Camden gives you the right atmosphere to celebrate during a rainy Summer evening: it’s like enjoying music with a bunch of rock legends on your shoulders, bargain.
I was in London for less than a day and I had frankly a blast.
Side effects? Feeling utterly shattered the next days. I said to my companion “I am sorry, I can’t do this anymore”. But what if I may?
Sorry, I was camera-free during those days, I stole this picture without saying it.
Bad girl, like in the best rock traditions.
Valanzo 