Open Hoooooooouse 2015 #4

After McCann I went off to Belgrave Square, to visit the Romanian Cultural Institute and the Italian Cultural Institute. I also added the Argentinian Ambassador’s Residence, because it was a) there and b) open.

These buildings were fairly similar, all being from around the same time and in the same place. They are mostly built in the same style (I have just had to use timestamps to work out which photos were from which building), all being on Belgrave Square and at around the same time (mid 19th century). There was an interesting exhibition of Romanian art on but it didn't photograph very well, sadly.

The Italian Cultural Institute was much the same:

The Argentine ambassador's residence weren't allowing photos so none from there, but one thing I really enjoyed was an exhibition of cartoons by the Argentinian cartoonist REP – I was very sad to find out this was literally only on for Open House, but also pleased I’d chosen to go in there. I currently have this postcard from the exhibition up at work:

(English: Thanks, you can move now)

There's an interview with REP here: http://www.argentinaindependent.com/the-arts/art/rep-a-very-porteno-cartoonist/

After all of this, I was completely worn out and had completed my list for the day, so I made my way home and collapsed.

Hall Place Gardens

One thing I forgot from the water exhibition: this statue by Gavin Turk, entitled Self Portrait (Fountain), which shows the artist holding a hose to his head. When the the water comes out and hits the head of the sculpture it instantly turns to steam, suggesting that the brain is burning with ideas. Sadly the steam didn't show up too well on these pictures but it is a fun idea:

Surrounding the house are a large range of gardens (and a load of geese), including cultivated gardens, vegetable plots and hedges shaped like... well, I don't really know what.

And inside the greenhouse:

Hall Place

Continuing the local theme, I also visited Hall Place in Bexley, which is a gorgeous Tudor mansion built for a former Lord Mayor of London (Sir John Champneys). The main part of the house was built in 1537, with some elements added in the 17th Century. There are also extensive gardens (inlcuding a temperate greenhouse, which is always lovely) and a butterfly jungle which I am not going anywhere near ever ever ever. Also a plant shop, where I may have bought some plants :D. 

Part of the exterior of the house is red brick, and part of it has a really interesting chessboard pattern made of flint and rubble masonry. 

Most of the Tudor features are still visible inside the house, including timber framing and the Great Hall that would have been the main feature of the house when it was built. 

Upstairs in the house there are some fantastic plaster ceilings dating from about 1650.

And finally, when we visited there was an art exhibition themed around water, which had some artworks that I really loved, including a video installation by Chyang Kung Kym, a large-scale photographic project by Noémie Goudal and a dress that changes colour when it gets wet by Studio Roso. 

The exhibition is on until 6th September and I do recommend it if you're in the area. 

The dress, dry:

And wet: 

Their website: http://studio-roso.com/

Noemie Goudal's website: http://www.noemiegoudal.com

Video interview with the artist explaining the art installation (Korean with English subtitles): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BN126TEjXnM

This update is long enough already so I'm going to put pictures of the garden in another entry.

Open House London 2014 Day 2 Part 3

My next destination was THE MIDDLE OF FRICKING NOWHERE, or as close as you can get to the middle of nowhere in London (and you can, trust me on this one, I'm good at finding places like this). 

I went out to Trinity Buoy Wharf/Container City, first going to East India DLR and then following the signs (the signage was SUPER helpful, bless them) to Orchard Place. 

The first thing that greets you is this: 

which is nice. 

Just round the corner is this:

And then further down the road is a weird mishmash of artists' studios (Container City), a diner, a boat painted red, the only lighthouse in London and some art installations. And of course there are amazing views over the river. 

It is a really interesting site to wander around, especially if you like the aesthetics of containers (I do!). The installations are pretty interesting and tend to relate to the river:

Alunatime is London's first moon and tide clock and is a graphical notation of time in light (from photos it looks like this is better at night)

Floodtide is tidal sonification, which is to say it makes sounds depending on what the tides are doing.  

Inside the lighthouse was the most exciting thing - Longplayer. Longplayer is an installation I'd heard about somewhere and read about in one of my London books (I think it was Secret London). Longplayer is a song made with Tibetan singing bowls which is designed to play without repetition for 1000 years.

You can listen live! http://longplayer.org/listen/live-stream/

To finish, two views from the site. And the boat. 

In this one you can see the sculpture Quantum Cloud by Anthony Gormley. The darker shape in the middle looks like a human figure if you see it from the right angle (more info - http://www.antonygormley.com/sculpture/item-view/id/269).

Next post: last visit of the weekend!