With the most rainy April in 200 years behind us, May promises to not only have beautiful flowers, but seems to have wonderfully warm weather as well. Hopefully this will be the start of an excellent summer. And as the start of the pleasant season, many exhibits are beginning this month and will carry on throughout the summer. Here is a sampling of some:
Tate Modern
Set to open 11 May 2000, the Tate has moved their modern collection to a giant renovated power station - and it looks very promising. The new gallery is large enough to display all those wonderful pieces that had to be kept in storage at the other location (which will now focus on British works).
The Art of Star Wars
Long, Long Ago in a Community Centre Far Far Away...
If you are part of the 98% of the earth's population who are fans of the Star Wars movie series, you'll want to visit The Art of Star Wars exhibit going on at the Barbican Gallery through to the 3rd of September.
Even if you are in the minority 2% that either hasn't seen the movies or simply just doesn't appreciate high-art, you probably need a break anyway from visiting the endless array of manor homes, museums and monuments, which make up London's traditional tourist fayre.
The exhibit features a vast array of paintings, drawings, models, costumes, and even sound effects. Highlights include Anakin's full sized Podracer and life size Chewbacca and Darth Vader. Surprisingly the show doesn't really seem to have much to appeal to children, as it focuses more on the artwork and technical aspects behind the productions, although it does have a computer game area and an area to try on character masks. Although the show is slightly over-priced, it's definitely worth a visit for any Star Wars fans.
The exhibit is taking place at the Barbican Centre. The nearest tube is Barbican. Follow the signs and yellow line to the Barbican Gallery, as the Barbican is the really hideously ugly compound and it's really easy to end up walking in circles.
Flowers
The Chelsea Flower Show is on this month, but if you can't afford (or stomach) to mingle with the socialites, there are plenty of other places to view the wonderful flowers brought to us through those awful April monsoons.
Kew Gardens is excellent, although there is an admission charge. But the grounds are massive and feature several green houses, as well as a pagoda and a manor house. It's definitely worth the trip if you like gardens, but if you're not inclined to pay to see flowers there are still plenty of options.
The Inner Circle of Regent's Park houses Queen Mary's Gardens, my personal favorite in London. Statues, fountains, waterfalls, a rock-garden island and every type of rose imaginable make this a wonderful place to chill out. The south-east corner of Hyde Park also has gardens that are nicely arranged with good focal points, although a few too many Japanese tourists think that fountain is just a little too special. Nevertheless it makes for a little entertainment while you relax.
Courtauld Gallery/Somerset House
Located on the Strand, near the Church that's in the middle of the road.
Covent Garden, Holborn, or Temple tubes.
Open daily.
Admission charge £4 (£3 concession), but Mondays 10-2 is free.
The Courtauld is the place to go if you're into the Impressionists/Post-Impressionists. The 2nd floor features an amazing collection of Monet, Manet, Van Gogh, Gauguin, Degas, and Toulouse-Lautrec to name a few. Unless you're into Religious Art, I'd skip the ground floor and the 1st half of the 1st floor (curiously located 2 flights up).
The Courtauld is located in Somerset House, which is apparently one of the finest of its kind in Europe. What it's kind is I'm not sure, but it is quite nice, and is a good example of how these buildings that look small and grungy from the street actually open into stunning courtyards and splendid buildings once you get through the gates.
The Somerset House is currently being prepared for public use for the first time, and is supposed to open in May. When I was there at the end of April the giant courtyard was still being worked on and didn't look near ready, but you never know.
Saatchi Gallery
98a Boundary Road
St John's Wood or Swiss Cottage Tubes
Open Thursday to Sunday noon-6pm
A smallish art gallery devoted to modern art, the Saatchi houses temporary exhibitions devoted to the cutting edge of modern art. Summer 2000 will feature a two part exhibit titled "Ant Noises".
The gallery is famous for having featured some pretty out there pieces, such as Damien Hirst's shark suspended in formaldehyde and Marc Quin's frozen head made from nine pints of his own blood. The piece de resistance is Richard Wilson's 20:50, which is an entire room filled with about a metre of used sump oil complete with a walkway that visitors can use to get a better look.
I have to say, in all seriousness, this is the most wild bit of artwork I've ever seen and (love it or hate it) is definitely not to be missed. Although the gallery only takes about an hour to see, it's well worth the visit as the area it's located in is a charming side of London most visitors never see. There are plenty of pubs and restaurants in the area, and if you walk south down Abbey Road, you will come to the famous Abbey Road Studios and Zebra Crossing (about a 10-15 minute walk).
NB: the gallery is closed 21 August - 1 September while exhibits are changed.
Questions?
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