Queen

Finally watched this last night. Cried a lot for no particular reason.

A fantastic portrayal of Blair, but Cherie not nearly waspish enough. The actor who played the Dukes of Edinburgh may have looked the part, but his accent was woeful, circa Dick Van Dyke in Mary Poppins.

The star for me however, was the Queens wardrobe, I wanted it all, the knee length Tartan, he plum opaque tights, the flat brogues and her rain coat was divine.

That's my style icon for the winter. I promise to eschew the under the chin knot, oh did I mention the scarves.....

Cy Twombly

Coming soon... Virtual Tour of the Cy Twombly exhibition space

I finally made the journey to see this exhibition. Excellent as expected, very few surprises but as with Brancussi my favourite room was the first one. Very tactile sculptures, wrapped raw wood, on a much smaller scale than his later work. His drawings too, were much sparer and had a very ethereal quality to them. His later work seems almost ham fisted by comparison.

Miyako Ishiuchi

From SEPIA The Alkazi Collection
Miyako Ishiuchi's mother died in 2000. Although they never got along with each other very well, Ishiuchi was deeply affected. She decided to photograph her mother's former possessions in order to better process her death - and life. The things which she documented tell the story of a fashionable, self-confident woman. After her husband was reported missing in World War II, she earned her living as a truck driver. When she became pregnant by another man, her first husband suddenly reappeared. Divorce followed - a week before Ishiuchi was born. With her photo series MOTHER'S 2000-2005 - TRACES OF THE FUTURE Ishiuchi wanted to create 'a contact point between the present and the past'. By her own testimony, thanks to the photographs she has learned to understand her mother better.

This collection of photographs struck a chord. As someone whose relationship with her mother is at best warmly cordial, I do whole heartedly thank her for making me the mother that I am. I feel that by learning from the pain I have manged to right the wrongs.

My Rules of Motherhood

• Tell your children that they are clever, funny and beautiful everyday.
• Treat them like you trust them even if you are not sure.
• Talk to them about their day and enjoy the life they have.
• Make sure your jokes are funnier.
• Never use sarcasm or malice.
• Never bitch about their father.
• Try to do something together everyday.

So you cry, how come they all love going to their Grans so much? Well we all have to walk on the dark side occasionally to appreciate just how good it is at home!!!

The Painted Photograph, Brunei Gallery

Images from here

The exhibition includes portraits of Indian rulers standing against dramatic and theatrical backdrops; studio and court images organised thematically. Ranging from aspects of kingship to modes of art practice, exploring the period of the British Raj from the 1860’s to the 1930’s.

I do not know why but this exhibition really appeals to me. I love the painterly quality to the photographs that resemble Mughal miniatures.

Susan Collis

The oyster’s our world
2004
81.3 x 38 x 58 cm
Wooden stepladder, mother of pearl, shell, coral, fresh water pearl, cultured pearls, white opal, diamond


100% Cotton
2004
160 x 45 cm
Boiler suit, embroidery thread

Made good (DETAIL)
Length 27 cm
Coral, black onyx, 18 carat white gold (hallmarked), diamond, silver. Edition of 10


Collis' practice involves a subversion of time frame and visual perception through the manipulation of everyday objects. In the piece 'Paint Job', what initially seems like a collection of careless splashes and stains upon the fabric of utilitarian worker's overalls are, on closer inspection, meticulously stitched marks replicating the accidental and spontaneous moment. Further to this, Collis enjoys playfully positioning the works in overlooked areas of an exhibition space, to heighten the potential for an initial misreading. We, the viewer, are then forced to rewire our visual and mental understanding of a particular mark, thus elegantly extending our viewing experience
Photos and text from the Seventeen Gallery


Susan Collis’s work isn’t easy to spot. However, a few moments spent observing the leaning broom, the paint-spattered table, the grubby dust sheet, should have clarified matters. Those specks of paint were painstakingly inlaid mother-of-pearl and black diamonds; the droplets of grot, minutely embroidered silk. Collis’s work takes time, not just for her, for viewers, too. More here

Anyone who knows me, will be aware that I am in love with old school house furniture like this. The fact that such utilitarian pieces have been afforded such exquisite inlay is a bonus.
I am lucky that I have acquired some great pieces over the years such as old step ladders, stools, trellis tables and plan chests. Sadly due to Emin's tyrannical house rules much of it remains at school, but to have it is to love it.

The view from here

I was surprised to see this Dragonfly so still for so long, and then I realised it had just hatched, beautiful.

So what did you do at the weekend?

Well since you asked, I started of with a very lazy Friday. All my good intentions were blown out the water and I stayed at home. I had to go and get Kitty by bus to teach her the way home from her cousins house. 30mins there, 1 hour back! Then mother arrived and off we went back on the same bus to my baby sisters 40th birthday bash. After very many glasses of delicious Presseco and Rose later off we went home. I finally met her Spanish teacher and his boyfriend who is Italian living in Lewisham, (do not ever say this city is not cosmopolitan) He ingratiated himself with me by asking if I was Lucy's mother! So that's the end of that entente cordial.

Saturday mother was very, very worse for wear so I made her take Leyla out for brunch. Oh, (revenge is sweet) whilst lucky, lucky me got to cut up the carpet in Leyla's bedroom, bag it and bin it. Yes we finally found the moths. According to mothers moth man ( all Oxford colleges have a moth man) you have either carpet moths or clothes moths, finally having cleared out the wardrobes and sprinkled them with copious amounts of lavender water I realise I was looking in the wrong place. So every night I am picking off the baby's as they hatch with the hoover, cruel, but necessary to win the war.

Saturday afternoon I had forgotten I was going with Lucy to the Ben and Jerry's festival on Clapham Common to see the Charlatans. The last time I saw them, was 16 years ago how I could forget I do not know, So back on that bloody bus to Lucy's and of we went. She was in a very fragile state so I made the lazy fat arse walk up the hill from the station. Not until we neared the top did she realise we could have caught a bus and that she had been duped!!!! again revenge is sweet. She ate one ice cream (they were free) and then slumped comatose on the ground until the Charlatans came on. She was looking forward to a band called the Delays but they were disappointing. However not on the advertised bill was a surprise visit from the Guillemots, I have never rated them before, but they were excellent. Playing a set as tight as a ..well Guillemots arse really. I gorged on a Hog Roast sandwich. These festivals are worth it for the food alone these days.

I LOVED the Charlatans, grouchy Lucy proclaimed them half hearted and said they played better at the Shepherds Bush Empire, well who wouldn't? But I wasn't there as she took my other sister, so I enjoyed what I saw. Home by 'that 'bus and next morning bright and early we went to see Batman, that's a long one. Lovely cinematography and the usual excellent Hans Zimmer score, but scissors please someone. The joker is very scary, well for me anyway, I hate knives.

Back to base after the ubiquitous shop and then I took Leyla swimming, which was purgatory on all levels and will not be repeated. Kitty? well she couldn't wait to see the back of me, she came home packed her bags and went to Oxford with my Mum. So all is quiet....for now.