FutureCity at the Barbican

I went to see the Future City exhibition at the Barbican on Sunday. It was an exhibition that I've been looking forward to for some time.

The exhibition is £1.55 cheaper if you book online before going to the Barbican. I booked a ticket about 30 minutes before getting there and it was easy to collect on the way into the gallery space.

The exhibition is very impressive - at ground level there are many amazing models some of which are very large. The exhibition starts upstairs...

Each 'room' of the upstairs gallery is devoted to a different style of architectural theory each one explained before you enter the room. There are large photographs lining the walls and models, drawings and images within the space. It was amazing how many similarities there were between movements and how the Babapapa style house proved so popular in theory from the 1950's onwards but wasn't realised until Pierre Cardin commissioned it in the 1980s.

It was fantastic to be able to see the journals of the time especially the archigram publications and it was a pity that none had been reproduced for re-sale. I would've snapped them up!

My only complaint was the lack of information next to the models etc on display - reading then looking, for someone like me, is tricky at the best of times, but with such a density of information it sometimes proved too much and I couldn't take it all in.

I would recommend the exhibition to everyone - it's the chance to see those models you've always read about but never had a chance to view and some of the film footage is priceless.

Strandbeests in London

Theo Jansen brought his Strandbeests (or Beach Animals) to London on 24th June.

They live in Trafalgar Square for the weekend before moving to St. James's Park on the 28th where they frolicked in the grass for a week. I think they looked more at home in the park than Trafalgar Square but it was great that they were able to stay outside in such prominent positions for so long.


Many people came to see them and they got a lot of press coverage, including a weather report.

They are now in the ICA's Theatre where the exhibition looks very dramatic. The exhibition is on until 16th July - catch it while you can.

Theo's talk on Wednesday was packed and it was well worth sitting in the sweltering heat to hear him talk. We took him out for dinner that evening before he went back to Holland.

It's been a great exhibition and a real privilege working with him.

See more about these amazing creatures and video clips of them in action on the beach in Holland here: www.strandbeest.com

Last Dance at the ICA

I went to see the Sioned Huws coreographed performance You don't know how to make the first move gracefully on Thursday 15th June.

It was a lovely piece, with as much stillness as movement.

The delayed relay of live video of the performer on the screen in the centre of the performance area was beautiful. It was amazing how the filmed dancer and the live dancer seemed to move together - seemingly coreographed, though she wasn't watching the screen.

Is this the last dance performance at the ICA?
Who knows?
Only the artistic director can tell.

Naked and green

On Saturday, quite by chance, I witnessed a naked bike ride through the streets of London. In fact through the heart of London - up Charing Cross Road and into Oxford Street.

The traffic was stopped, pedestrians were stopped, in fact the whole of central London appeared to have stopped.

The reason? A protest against our dependence on oil. And why not!? It was a peaceful if bare protest about something that affects us all - whether we drive cars or not!

Power to them I say.
http://www.worldnakedbikeride.org/uk/

Homefires III

The third Homefires festival took place at Conway Hall, Red Lion Square this weekend. I wasn't there for the Saturday event, but managed to drag myself along to Sunday's finale.

It was a lovely atmosphere with many positive vibes going out to the performers even though some of them were a little late. Power to Adem Ilhan for filling the gap left by The Final Fantasy. And while we were all feeling for Adem and secretly thinking that The Final Fantasy had been very rude (in our oh so British way) for not calling to explain, he arrived. What a performance. Well worth the wait. It's amazing what you can do with a violin and a delay peddle. Buy his CDs now. I urge you.

Another high point of the afternoon/evening was Emma Pollock (formerly of The Delgados) whose amazing voice and repetoir of songs left me wanting to hear more. Apparently her new CD is out in the autumn. I can't wait.

Vashti Bunyan was the headline act and some of her music was lovely, but this was true mainly of the older tracks. Her newer stuff sounded very insubstantial and to my untrained ears, a bit samey. The rest of the audience didn't seem to agree with me, they all thought she was great no matter what she played/sang. Her backing group were fabulous and they did deserve a lot of praise.

Spore at the Yorkshire Sculpture Park

Over the Bank Holiday weekend five went mad in Yorkshire. Spore were walking up hill and down dale, scaring the sheep and cows and looking out for roadkill.

We headed off to the Yorkshire Sculpture Park on Sunday. What a fab place! Vast with much art to look at. The high point was the James Turrell installations in the underground galleries. They are only there until September 2006, so if you've got a yearning for a light installation then head to Yorkshire soon.

He does have one permanent installtion in the Deer Shelter which was beautiful. Makes me want to head to Arizona to see the Roden Crater.

We walked, we talked, we sat, we saw.

Then Julie and Stephen started "taping". A bit of guerilla art never hurt anyone though it was difficult trying to stop people interrupting, especially the park warden who turned up unexpectedly to close the sculpture we were in.

Seville

Last weekend I went to Seville with some friends for a short break. The weather was fabulous - perhaps too fabulous? A siesta was certainly required! Food was amazing and there were lots of interesting things to see and do.

I would definitely recommend Seville for a short break - either in the spring or autumn. If the weather is that hot in May, just think what it'll be like in July or August.

There was a lot of Moorish influence, showing up in the architecture and the layout of the city. The Moorish palace the Alcazar is beautiful and the grounds were amazing. There were plants that I've never seen before.

Food as I said was fabulous, but the service was a little erratic. In one restaurant we were given a menu (after we asked for it) only to be told that we couldn't have anything on it, there was only bread, tomatos and ham - which was delicious, but when you've got your heart set on a little more variety it's a bit strange.

On the whole though I had such a lovely time that I think I would be tempted back - though perhaps when I've got a bit more money!