Present from the past

Yo. How goes it? I’m still in hibernation mode, which kind of makes sense seeing as it’s still officially winter for another week. Maybe I’ll feel better, and have more of a SPRING in my step then?! Needless to say I’ve ignored my camera for weeks, so it’s fortunate that I still have pics that I haven’t posted yet. Back in September me and my friend M went down to the V&A and this reflection caught my eye while we were queueing to get in.

As is now custom in Covid times we began our visit in the courtyard with our packed lunches. Much warmer and sunnier than the last time I was there at the beginning of December…

This guy on the left was dressed in some sort of pink suit and shorts combo with red knee high socks, and I overheard him getting into lots of conversations throughout the museum as people complimented him on his outfit. I was just talking with a friend yesterday of how we, both in our mid to late forties, don’t wear colourful clothes like we used to when we were younger, as if the last thing you want to do as a middle aged woman is to stand out. I did say that once we get to our fifties/sixties/seventies we’ll stop giving a monkeys and hopefully go bananas with what we wear like the ladies captured on the Advanced Style blog.

Anyway, as usual, I digress. Never have I ever… paid any attention to stained glass windows. But we sought it out this time. The V&A has a great collection of Gothic Revival stained glass, which is much more modern in style, and piqued our interest.

I’ve copied and pasted this from the V&A website: “In Victorian England, society was dominated by industrialisation. The country underwent two seismic changes during this period: the rapid replacement of craft manufacture with mass production, and the depopulation of the countryside, as people flocked to the cities to take up work in the new factories. Many reformers, writers, artists and designers began to publicly question the impact of this form of 'progress', and to search for alternatives. This interest in developing a different kind of social and aesthetic template had its roots in the 18th century. In that period, new styles of writing and architecture had begun to focus on the idealisation of nature and an interest in returning to the simpler and more 'honest' values of the past.”

In a post Covid-19 pandemic world it feels like something similar will shift, but some of it in reverse. Less mass production, more crafts, less living in cities and more living in the countryside, more appreciation and care for nature and hopefully a return to a simpler life. I’m so curious to see what is going to happen in London over the next few years. It’s definitely going to be different. Apparently 700 000 people have left London for good in the past 12 months. Two of my close (and local) friends have moved to the countryside since the pandemic, and M, who lives around the corner, is moving back to Sweden next year, so my social life is for sure going to change 😔.

Anyway - again. Check out this very cool piece. So clean.

Some nice sunbeams on the floor in the space where the stained glass are hung up against the window.

Had a look through the Print Rooms as well, and I really liked this linocut.

And I love Paul Peter Piech’s linocuts so much. His style is amazing.

You know what else is amazing? Tapestries. In an alternative universe I make linocuts and tapestries - I’m really good with my hands there.

The light is always so good in this spot. Must be north facing or not get any direct light as it always looks the same.

I never really twigged that there is a paintings section in the museum, and this one kind of broke my heart. I’ll take more pictures in this room next time I go.

We then continued to the Photography room - of course - and I really liked this circular passpartout. Must remember it next time I frame something.

I wrote about Mark Cohen’s pictures in my last post from the V&A, but I didn’t show this picture close up. So good, isn’t it? One glove is better than none. Or maybe her right hand feels the cold more than the left.

M, perfectly framed by a beautiful view and window.

I wanted to show her this amazing staircase on our way out. Pretty special, huh?

And finally, an autumnal looking me, and with such short hair! I’m growing it out now, but last year I was very grateful for Mr Famapa’s haircutting skills. I might need them again if we find ourselves in lockdown in a year’s time. Time will tell.