7 posts tagged “south bank”

Decided to make the most of the fabulous four-day Easter weekend this year and get out and about in this wonderful city, despite the freezing cold, snowy and wet weather.

With a Spanish movie already under my belt it was time to take in a gallery and so Mosh and I headed to the Haywards on the South Bank for the Alexander Rodchenko photography exhibition which was excellent. He had an amazing eye for angles and perspective in his pictures and certainly pushed the boundaries 70 or so year ago.
There was also a free exhibition about comedy in art or humour in art and whether it transcends cultural difference or something but that was far from impressive. It didn't even amuse. Perhaps my height was a problem and it went straight over my head.
Now it can't really be classed as cultural but we then headed to Covent Garden for lunch and my first visit to the World Food Cafe in Neals Yard. I've always wanted to eat there ever since buying the cook book which was a regular source of inspiration for the years I was a vegetarian. For those who aren't familiar it is a collection of recipes from around the world that are either naturally meat-free or have been adapted.
So used has been the book that one dish, African sweet potato stew, is something I can now cook without the recipe and of course I couldn't resist ordering it. It was beautifully presented, really tasty and, I was pleased to note, very similar to my own attempts.
Anyway, enough of food and onto the highlight of the day: the theatre. As soon as I heard about the cast: Ralph Fiennes, Ken Stott, Tamsin Greig and Janet McTeer I knew I had to go and see God of Carnage, at the Gielgud Theatre without knowing anything of the story.

It's a new play by French playwright Yasmina Riza who is probably best know for Art and is based around the meeting of two sets of parents brought together when one couple's 11 year old son hits the others with a stick, knocking two teeth out.
What starts out as a strained but civilised discussion on how to deal with the incident soon begins to unravel and descend into something that while comical and extremely amusing it also very revealing about human nature.
It is an expertly constructed and pitched play aided by four superbly timed performances. There are so many deliciously entertaining moments and bits of dialogue I could write pages but at the very least, it was enjoyable to be entertained by such a high calibre cast including an Oscar winner.
Am going to have to do something very low-brow for the rest of the weekend after all that.

Where is your favourite place to be on a sunny Sunday afternoon? 
Submitted by Rev Stan.

The South Bank. Down by the river, with all the different street entertainers, the graffiti, the galleries, public art, theatres, cinema, restaurants, coffee shops, the Eye, the carousel, the hawkers, tat-sellers, the storm troopers advertising the Star Wars exhibition, the Dali statues, teenagers doing street running, real runners, tourists, Londoners... generally everyone young and old having a jolly time. Love it.

Several voxers have already posted about the work of artist Antony Gormley including AKA Vasquez so I apologise for arriving unfashionably late at the party.
These sculptures are decorating the roof tops and pavements around the South Bank as part of his Blind Light exhibition. Supposedly based on his own body, they have become such a feature of my journey to work that I have grown quite fond of them.
Some observers are obviously more moved than others by this art, choosing to respond in their own unique way. For example, it is not unusual to see parts of the sculpture, and you don't need to guess which parts, spray painted or words such as 'cock' written across the torso. Then there is the dressing up and the condom tied on with ribbon. None lasts more than a day leaving the sculptures a 'blank canvas' once again.
I wonder what Gormley's reaction would be?
The exhibition is only on for another couple of weeks and it will be a sad day when the sculptures are taken down. Perhaps I should start a campaign similar to the one initiated at Crosby Sands.

Had my hair cut by the fabulous Shingo. He took quite a bit off the length and thinned out the mop at the back. Safe to say it won't look like this again until I go back to him in two months time...

Mosh then had  the idea that we could walk up to town where he had booked a table in my favourite  restaurant in China town, Fung Shing .
It was a great idea because the evening light is so different from when I normally walk this route at late morning/lunch time.
I love the art deco influence in the Rogers' designed Mi6 building.
There were still plenty of people on the South Bank enjoying the last of the day's sunshine.

In the 14 years I've lived in London I've seen snow settled on the ground twice so to get that crisp winter wonderland feeling there is only one thing to do: ice skate. And if that rink is open air and in the shadow of the beautifully lit Tower of London with views across the river, then all the better.

Finish the day with a stroll along the South Bank to see all the twinkling Christmas lights...

Heading east from Waterloo towards the Tate Modern...

It is just over an hours walk from my flat to the West End. The route takes me along the Thames via the South Bank, then across the Jubilee Bridge to Trafalgar Square and Soho.
As it was a beautiful, bright sunny day and I wanted to see a film in Leicester Square, it seemed a good excuse to take a stroll.
The South Bank now rivals Covent Garden for street entertainers. The whole area has a lovely, vibrant feel to it particularly on a sunny day. Although I've never quite understood the entertainment value in watching someone painted silver, standing still.
Here are some pics, the rest are stored in the usual place...