London, Days #23 + 24

Saturday

Today was a day, also full of ambition, where I also put more than necessary on my plate.

I started my day at the Courtauld Gallery at Somerset House, and I was happy to be there. The collection is beautiful, and I was pleasantly surprised to find A Bar at the Folies-Bergère, the painting that made me want to be an art history major, there.

The special exhibition there was the artistic collaborations between Toulouse Lautrec and Jane Avril. It was a small collection, only two rooms, but it was interesting enough to see. I didn't realize that their friendship and working relationship was so strong, and was really pleased to learn more about it. Did you know that Avril would oftentimes come to Lautrec's studio and dance and sing for him while he sketched her? It is truly a charming thought.

After the Courtauld I met up with two ladies from my program, Susan and Astrid (from Holland) and we had Dutch pancakes and Bitterballen for lunch. It was all delicious and I think I will learn how to make Dutch pancakes soon so I can make them for all of my friends, etc.

Then I went to the V&A by way of the Natural History Museum (what a beautiful building) and the Royal Albert Hall (which unfortunately had tons of scaffolding over it so the photos I took weren't that great. Now imagine me yesterday, at the National Gallery, and how I just couldn't bear it. Now imagine me on Saturday, at the V&A... it was just about 10x worse. It was swimming with people! I couldn't even hear myself think about whether or not I wanted to stay. Luckily my walk in was aided by several sculptures, so I spent some time with those and then I was off again.

I had Indian food for dinner, Chicken Tikka Masala, Samosas, Rice Pilau (I added my own peas). It was delicious but I thought it would all be kind of spicy, and it was all really very mild. Ah well.

Sunday

Today I visited the brother of the man who's house I am living in, and his wife and their daughter. We had a lovely chinese-style meal and it was truly delicious. I enjoyed spending time with them as they are all very interesting (and since I have been here alone this weekend it was nice to talk to people instead of just reminiscing about things in my head). I made them chocolate chip and rosemary "shortbread" style cookies which they seemed to enjoy. Otherwise I just did some reading for my essay and some relaxing in general. I ate my Indian leftovers for dinner, and I am ready for my last week in London.

My mother arrives on Tuesday and I am very excited for her arrival!

xoxo

London, Day #22

Friday

Today I had a long list of things that I wanted to do, but was unable to go through with the second half of my list. I've just been really exhausted, and the last thing I want to do is look at works of art with 1,000 other people when I feel like sleeping.

I did, however, do some things of note!

I began my day at the British Museum which I was very excited about as I haven't been yet and it is literally two blocks away from my school. The building, of course, is beautiful and I admired it for some time. The exhibitions, however, were swamped with a mix of school children, tourist groups, and a smattering of locals. I had a hard time looking at sculptures that towered over us at 10 feet, because there were so many people. I found solace in an exhibition of drawings and watercolor paintings by artists from Australia. The exhibit was free, already a plus, and there were so few people in there that it was a relaxing and peaceful environment to look at new art in. The space concentrated on "The Angry Penguins" (an avant-garde artists group from the 1940s) and then moved into modern Aboriginal art, and contemporary artists in Australia. The works were extremely diverse here are a few examples.

Charles Blackman "Ebb and Flow"

Judy Watson "Saltwater Country"

After the British Museum I walked down Charing Cross Road and ended up in Chinatown where I had dim sum... by myself... for lunch. It wasn't the best of ideas, I would have rather been with friends, so I don't know why I didn't call anyone, but that's just how it all happened. Here are photographs of the things I ate.

Then I pressed along to The Royal Academy of Arts where I was hoping to catch a lecture later that evening, which was unfortunately sold out. Instead I bought a combination ticket and spent about two hour in the Summer Exhibition, telling myself that I cannot afford to buy any of the art on the walls, but everything has a price tag, and then an additional hour in the exhibition "Eyewitness." Eyewitness features the artwork of several Hungarian photographers who I love and respect. I love and respect them so much that I purchased the catalogue (as it was beautifully printed). Instead of taking notes like I sometimes do, I just have a list of names I cannot pronounce in my notebook. Here are some of the works I enjoyed:

Martin Munkacsi

Jozsef Pécsí

Károly Escher

After all of that I decided to walk over to the National Gallery in the hopes of having enough energy to endure the space and the collection. Unfortunately it was swamped with people, walking into the building was a challenge. I sort of wandered in, and then wandered out, not really feeling the need to stay. What's the use of looking at art if you don't have the energy to take it in? I then took the tube home and did some reading for my upcoming essay.