Friday, March 16th

Well, after two, beautiful Spring days where a light raincoat posed a heavy, unneeded burden, the cold foggy weather is upon us.  This is the first I have seen of London Fog and all I can say is that it is as damp and chilling as I imagined. After grading papers for several hours, I went down to the St. Giles Friday recital followed by a meeting.

The tube is such a civilized vehicle from getting across town. Here is the Tottenham Court Station (promounced: Tot n um).

These murals line the entire tunnel system connecting the Northern and Central lines at Tottenham Court Road.

Not only are the colors amazing, but the wrap around effect of the murals is stunning.

This is the one place where the artist's signature is displayed.

This is hilarious version of a mad dash by a character evocative of Superman in plain clothes.

Tile every which way.  I only wish I had the balance to snap the overhead view from the escalator but I fear vertigo and losing my grip.

I also went shopping for another pair of flats and a skirt to see me through the next 6 weeks.  I have taken to carrying heels to work because between the cobblestone paths and the jumping up and down the "gaps" alighting the tube, flats are much safer--on the many stairs, as well.  No luck as London prices smacked me right in the face.  A poorly made pair of flats cost 140 BPS ($210).  I'll keep looking.

I have been reflecting on both Prague and Amsterdam. Both were very rich in entirely different ways.  Let me share my experience at the Van Gogh museum.  I have digested more of it on reflection and in my sleep where most of my important psychological work is accomplished.

First of all the museum is modern with lots of light and space--not a cramped place at all.  Second, the permanent collection is presented based on places Van Gogh lived: Aires, Paris, Antwerp, etc.  The paintings themselves are, of course, "wow."  And, there are excerpts from letters he wrote about the paintings so that you can hear what was important to the artist about the piece.  It was dazzling, if crowded.

Then, the temporary exhibit is truly soulful.  Entitled, "Dreams of Nature: Symbolism from Van Gogh to Kandinsky," it explores the relationship between music, poetry and art in European landscape paintings done 1830-1920.   Not only were 95% of the paintings stunning, the excerpts of poetry that either inspired the painting or vice versa was a beautiful synchrony.  In addition, there were earphones by many of the paintings that had (always) two selections: one composed at the time the painting was done and one contemporary (usually 2011-2012).  Looking into those landscapes and hearing, for instance Arnold Bocklin's Isle of the Dead was accompanied by a piece the painting had inspired Rachmaninoff to compose.

Claude Debussy's Nocturnes went with a piece inspired by Whistler's painting.
The mood evoked kept reminding me of Walt Whitman poetry.  Imagine.  A continent away at the same time, our great-grandfather of American poetry was writing about the same themes: the impact of industrialization on the human spirit and the freedom souls can experience through nature.
The paintings were new to me and very compelling.

This is the exhibit which ended with a display of boulders.

Overall, the Van Gogh museum deserves more time and more play. If I could afford the time doing justice to what I remain to see in London, I would not hesitate to return.  Alas, there is too much to do here before my brief sojourn ends.  I must go to Brighton, for instance.

One of the surprises of the Van Gogh museum visit was how many Finnish landscape painters intrigued me. I have never felt any desire to go to Scandinavian countries.  After this exhibit and the many landscapes by Finnish painters, I am reconsidering.   I wish I had just one example.
The exhibit finished with works by Kandinsky.

The museum was fantastic in its collection, better than usual in its arrangement of works, and spectacular in its narratives.

So, I want to return.

And, today I am also thinking about our class trip yesterday to the Docklands Museum on the Isle of Dogs. In addition to documenting the British center of trade for two centuries, it also provided a chronicle of the British involvement in both slave trade and sugar plantation exploitation.  Rather chilling.