Tea Time in Wonderland

Posts Tagged ‘art’

The UK seems very proud of theur role in the two world wars. I have never seen so many memorial – London particularly has an impressive collection. You can’t miss them – most of them are decorated with wreath of poppies.

Oh, I’m not criticising the idea – far from me. But so many makes them even more transparent to the regular passer-by, just another statue on the way, red petals flying in the wind.

One, though, really caught my eye:

Unusual, isn’t it? I do not think we have one in France at all.

Absurd? Not really, when you consider the numbers of animal who died in wars from the beginning of the XXth century to the Irak war. Gosh, we’re talking about an estimated 8 millions of victims for WWI only! And not basic cattle killed in the fields by an explosion. No, poor animal carrying weapons and men. Dogs trained to find injured soldiers. 200, 000 pigeons transporting data during WWII. Mules with their vocal cords slashed not to be heard by the enemies. Of parachuted animals – dogs, horses… – only 1 out of 8 would survive. Dolphins used to find mines and keep our ships safe.

Some even you would have never imagined: glow-worms used by soldiers in the trenches to read!

60 special heroes received the equivalent of the Victoria Cross. One story will bring tears to your eyes – Mary the pigeon who flew back to her base to ring secret information, although the German hawks in Calais had ripped her neck and breast open…

Animals in war memorial
Brook gate
Park Lane
London W1

Another memorial worth seeing is the one dedicated to the women’s role during WWII…

London always lifts your heart when you first come to live there. You want to visit everything. The classics, the coulourfull, the trendy, the atmospherical, the sweet places. The list grows by the minute.

Of course, after a while you slow down. Events, festivals, pop-ups take priority. You’ll have the time later for the main places, won’t you? That’s how Kensington Palace just got forgotten. let alone I pictured it, well, kind of boring, to be honest.

Rather than close its doors for two years of renovations, it was decided to transform a whole floor into a fairytale: Alice means British Royalty-like. Seven princesses having lived here are presented in a real ballet of creativity. An enchanted map is handed out with clues to find more about each lady and their life.

The result is just amazing. Each room is extraodinarily decorated and is worth of Tim Burton. Branches with white gloves show you the way, a paper dress decorated with lace and drawings is lit form inside…

…sculptures hang from chandeliers, extraordinary hats project their intriguing shapes on the walls, a forest of tree gathers around Diana and Margaret’s dresses, suspended as in a dance…

But what you have to applaude is he way emotion rises in you. The visual effects are of course spectacular… and for once, it is no the political game that is so much focused on but the princesses as persons: their feelings, their pains, their personnality… One saddens for Margaret II who will dies childless, her sister not being luckier with 14 vain pregnancies. On a table shine sparkling bottles, filled with tears. Some are sealed – those are happiness ones, to be preserved – some are not, and hopefully, the cause of pain will evaporate as well…

Further on is Young Victoria’s bedroom – the very one she woke up in one morning, just to learn she finally was queen. Until then, her childhood had been mainly isolated form other children, though she was never left a minute alone, not even to come down the stairs and even had to sleep in her mother’s bedroom. Tempest created for her a dream of freedom, a dress of 100 origami birds, rising in the air…

Vivienne Westwood dedicate a flamboyant dress to Princess Charlotte, a little rebel, and discreetly added a badge “I’m expensive”…

Amidst this royal dance in time wanders the Wildworks theatre troup. Their costumes plays with different eras, and they seem to waltz around, sprinkling a little magic, a touch of a laugh, or stop to whisper a secret about one of the princesses… The Palace staff also is delighted to share their favourite details with you.

Don’t forget to look in the children’s room, royal toys and miniature infant shoes, delately and richly decorated with lace…

You’ll also see a paper replica of Kensington Palace, with a heart of light…

Absolutely hypnotising and worth every penny. And perfect for everyone, whether your a history fan, a fashionista, parents with kids… Don’t hesitate to bring foreign friends too, even if they don’t master Shakepeare’s language: each room presents a counted version in a fairytale book, each page in a different language.

Enchanted Palace
Kensington Palace
202 Cromwell Rd
London W8 4PX

£11.50/adult (if you travel by train, and you can buy the very cheapest one for the occasion, you can enjoy a 2 for the price of 1 tickets)
Until january 2012

Psst: if like me, you tend to flee crowds… then go to an open evening. Same price but the feeling to be privileges. Come a little before 20.00 – you will be 3 or 4 per room only, much more magical! The next ones will be June 18, July 16 and August 20.

Psst 2: coming during the day? take the kids to the nearby Peter Pan garden…

Have you seen it yet, this ship in a bottle intriguing passers-by on Trafalgar Square?

The Fourth Plinth is to be our new symbol of contemporory art. Last year, it had welcomed hundreds of simple people, like you and me. each chosen one could spend an hour up there, doint whatever they wanted. Some were artists, other comics, other represented a cause and came with banners, other braved the crowd sitting entirely naked. Some were amazing, other entirely boring. But hey, it was new. Art belonged to us. And it was real. We made it.

Later on, Sir Keith, a RAF hero, briefly had his statue there.

Now we have the world biggest boat in a bottle. Think about it, 5×2.8m! A thirtiest of the original! The opening of the bottle was large enough for people to crawl in and work inside.  This, by the way, represents the ship Victory.  Nelson -  the guy looking over the place from this huge column – died on it on October 21, 1805.  Not knowing his fleet would shortly win the battle. Everything was minutiously repeated: the 280 canons, the 37 sails (only 31 are up as on the day), even the message sent by the flags (Engage the ennemy closely).

Art steps in on one point -  the fabric used on the sails, which reminds us of African patterns. The artist, Yinka Shonibore (a previous Turner prize winner) was born in London then spent his childhood in Nigeria. An occasion to add a little of his influences in the sculpture but also draw a parallel with the British Colonial empire extansion at the time.

A lovely way to put history not in a nutshell but in a bottle for once. I’ll drink to it!

Pssst: the bottle is not made of glass but of perpex, a synthetic plastic. But if you love boats do go to Greenwich to see the toy boat exhibition! Or take the kids to the Golden Hind on South Bank.

A bank holiday week-end, 3 days of freedom – doesn’t it make you wanna dance?

- Well, how lucky, there is a tea dance @ Spitafield Friday afternoon…

- Don’t forget the V&A late night opening, dress up to it!

- Celebrations definitely are in order with the Greenwich beer and jazz festival… Unless you’d prefer a free cocktail?

- It’s that time of the year again, the famous Chelsea Flower Show is open! Harvey Nichols even has dedidated a floral afternoon tea to it…

- Alternatively, Kew gardens also is in summer mode…

- Wanna play the culture card? Well, the Natural History Museum new exhibition on abyss fish certainly looks amazing… So does Exposed @ the Tate – paparazzi pics or paused ones, cctv or real camera and of course classics like Cartier-Bresson or Lee Miller.

- Marilyn Monroe fan? Stop @ Harrod’s to see three of her dresses on show…

- Of course, there’s plenty of events linked to Sex and the City II these days…

- Kids in tow? Why not try the animation film festival? They could also meet sheep @ the Spitafield fam wool festival. Or have a picnic @ Alexandra Palace!

- Gourmet will rush to the Hampton Court food festival…

What are your plans? I’ll celebrate the week-end with friends with a bubble tea @ Chinatown. I will anticipate a very hot summer with Pimm’s sorbet.  Oh, and I need a closer look @ the Trafalgar Square boat, didn’t get a chance to see it yet!

This tunnel at the back of Waterloo station was made a success by Banksy in 2008 with the can festival: the walls were legally free to be tagged by graffiti artists and Banksy presented amazinf works of art too. A hit, a crowd!

Since then, the place is a lot more quiet…

It still remains a street artist headquarters though. Even if they’re coming to London for a few days, they like to come and live their signature there. No matter that the paintings only remain a few days, sometimes a few hours before being covered by someone else’s. Mostly, you’ll find graffitis such as we discovered them in the 80ies. But do come regularly and you’ll find such treasures…

Last year, yarnbombing even was a guest star…

You will sometimes hear classical music. Your sanity is intact -  this is the town hall’s effort to remind everyone this is to be a peaceful, creative place. Althout the city employees coming to do a few repairs do love to switch the radio full volume.

Hidden by the graffitis, the tunnel also has a few arches closed by doors. Those are private -  not the city’s at all -  and the owner (once Eurostar) do rent the space. Banksy had his one night cinema here to launch his movie Exit through the gift shop… Even exibitions openings have taken place here:  I have hapened to walk pass a line of VIPs dressed smartly…

But you’ll also find…

… A black cab car wash…

… More graffitis by fellow artists…

… and even a repair station for these cycle-taxis!

Leake Street
London SE1 7NN

Have you seen the weather forecasts? Extraordinary: 24 degrees on Friday, 22 the rest of the week-end… Grab your T-shirt, a pitcher of pimm’s, invade the  beer gardens and lawns!

- Start on Thursday night by dancing in a park…

- Or try one of those summer walks…

- Isn’t it the ideal time to have lunch on a terrasse overlooking Kensington Gardens?

- unless you’re up for a picnic?

- Forget central London and have a look at the Wimbledon Mill…

- If you did not get a chance to enjoy the Night of the Museums last week-end, no worry, here are a few more opportunities…

- Fancy some exotism? Baishaki, the bangali festival is on Sunday: delicious food, music, parade…

- Street art fan? It’s the Dream Factory you need!

You’ll find me shopping for cupcakes and heading for the late opening of the Enchanted Kensington Palace. How will you celebrate summer?

Pssst: don’t forget that next Monday, the boat in the bottle is moving to Trafalgar square!

This week-end is planned to be rain-free – throw away your umbrellas!

- Museums will be open late this week-end – check the events here!

- Happy Birthday to the Tate, 10 years old! A fab program is planned for the coming days. The occasion to see their community garden too, generally closed to the public (a few pics here)

- Stop at Fortnum and Mason, skip the delicatessen part, head for the first floor and have a look at some calorie-free but appetizing works of art…

- Chase a giant banana, it’s for a good cause… Or would you prefer a few steps of tango?

- Surely you will not resist a little shopping? The Spirit of Summer Fair will compensate for the missing sun…

- A little girl’s dream: the dollhouse festival. So cute!

- Why not a pop-quizz @ Selfridges? (And if you are hunting elephants, you’ll find one close to their official elephant shop)

- Finf out more about the Women’s library archives…

You’ll find me… savouring tapas @ Casa Brinsida, discovering the newly re-opened Florence Nightingale museum, and -so not laugh!- at the cress festival to enjoy their farmers’ market. Your turn: what are your advice for the week-end?

- How about a ghost hunt with the London Ghost week?

- Yummy times! Head for the Real Food festival for a gourmet experience. Plenty to taste, countless demonstrations! Great for kids too with a butter churning workshop, milking demonstrations, animals to pet…

- Fairtrade fan? Join the party! Film and music also are part of the fun.

- if you love vintage clothes,  head for Clerkenwell!

- Add a little elegance to your week-end with the Grace Kelly exhibition @ the V&A…

- Take the boys (whichever age, grown ups included) to dream @ the Toy boat exhibition @ the Greenwich Maritime Museum. Adorable. There’s a pond whithin Greenwich Park where you can rent a small boat and go round or just bring your own toys to float… And why not stop @ the Greenwich food market for a bite?

- Don’t miss the Covent Garden May Fayre and Puppet festival. We went last year and had a fab time with the non-stop Punch and Judy shows and admiring the collection of puppets… A few pictures this way (sorry, the text will be in French though).

- Why not a pics exhibition? Atlas presents faces of our times – splendid photos of famous people that marked our century. Albert Einstein, the Queen Elicabeth II, Picasso…

- if you like knowing all the tricks, try the I remember you exhibition, a film in which Keira Knightley plays. You’ll get to see how the scenes were prepared.

- Dance in the streets! Well at least, Carnaby Street…

- Finish with a hit and try these cocktails inspired by the Chelsea Flower Show…

You’ll find me hunting elephants in Green Park. I can’t wait to see the 200 Morris Dancers on Trafalgar Square on Saturday. What are your plans?

Bordeaux had seen a panda invasion. Bath had a pig one (including a flying pig). Londons had seen herds of cows and kangaroos.  But what would an urban jungle be without 250 extra elephants?

Usual story -  the sculptures were decorated by artists, designers, celebrities… In the lot: John Rocha, Lulu Guinness, Sir Terence Conran, Sir Paul Smith, le Prince et la Princesse de Kent, Cartier, Tommy Hilfilger. An inspired artist even used Swarovsky elements on his. They will be auctionned in July to support Elephant Family, an association protecting Asian elephants.

Up to you to fight your way through the London streets and catch them all. Some are really easy to spot, others blend in and can be passed without noticing.

The official map is here. The best place to start (especially if you’re taking the kids on an adventure) probably is the Scoop -  15 there. Or take them on a picnic safari @ Green Park and find the 25 hiding there!

If you do not have the time to play elephant bingo, you’ll find the herd @ the Royal Chelsea Hospital between June 23 and July 02.

The Elephant Parade

Through the whole of London, until June 22, 2010
@ the Royal Chelsea Hospital , from June 23 to july 02, 2010