Back in Black - the Tate Modern
Unsure of exactly where to take myself today, I decided to go to the Tate Modern, which happened to be across the Blackfriars bridge, the area I was at during the week.
I'm back at The Blackfriar pub with another pint of Hobgoblin Ale (I shall only have one this time) - you really have to visit a good friendly pub more than once to get its true feeling, I'm sitting in the other side of the pub, the more ornate side.
The Tate was interesting, if a little dissapointing due to several areas being closed. I made the most of it and visited the 5th floor which had some of the more obvious modern artists on display, such as Picasso, Mondrian & Warhol, as well as a host of others whom only those who have an interest in or have studied modern art would be aware of.
My favourite work was by the artist Giuseppe Penone (Tree of 12 Metres). He had taken huge wooden beams and "discovered" the tree within by carefully carving away around the knots in the wood, revealing branches and the trunk from a tree ring inside the beam. Absolutely incredible and had far more impact on me than the majority of the art works, with the exception of the Russian Propaganda posters, which were just incredible. I can see so much of todays graphic style being influenced by these powerful works of graphic art, indeed, even graphic novels seem to have taken notes from these works.
Unfortunately, taking photographs was not allowed, although I'm sure I could've sneaked a shot or two of those trees.
After spending 2 hours wondering around the gallery, I needed to get outside, so I took a walk across the millenium bridge. Not very inspiring, as far as bridges go. I prefer the older more solid looking structures to this young upstart.
St Paul's Cathedral is still being renovated, due for completion on it's 300th anniversary in 2008, so parts of the outside facade as seen from the millenium bridge are covered with scaffolding which in turn is covered with a rendering of the building underneath. This is far better than having to see ugly scaffolding, a unique idea that is found in most modern cities.
I decided I'd walked enough to deserve a pint, so I took a slow stroll back to Blackfriars busy intersection and subways and popped up at the pub again - nice one !
I'll do St. Pauls another day - you need to take these things in slowly to appreciate them.
