by Cedric | Jul 27, 2019 | General, Miscellaneous
When I think of Birmingham, I often consider the many times I’ve been screwed over my small bald men, hit by cars and generally been poisoned. I do not, however, think of science museums. I doubt any other Brummie often associates the city with science, or indeed me with the city. In any case, the Think Tank came as a great surprise to me. Let’s delve into it some more, shall we?
Your journey of thought will begin on the second floor, bizarrely. Here is contained the Our World exhibition. There’s a splendid wildlife collection with interesting facts about each frightening stuffed animal. There was also an exhibition called Medicine Matters. His personal highlight was the Brain demonstration part of the exhibition. It showcased the areas of the brains responsible for different emotions when you turned a knob, which is prescient to be sure.
Going up one floor, we enjoyed the Planetarium and watched a short film celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the Moon Landings this year. The Planetarium theatre was vast and the chairs all leaned backwards which gives viewers the best chance of catching the full show. The Future Exhibition outside the Planetarium was quite interesting too. They have a range of robots which swear at you on demand.
The scale model of Birmingham, on the third floor was also a sight to behold. I likened it to the one at Legoland on the other side of town. This one is much more expansive in tis coverage, but notably lacking in its detail by comparison.
Other notable exhibitions in this museum include the We Made It, on the first floor. This is a floor wide exhibition celebrating human craftiness. Of course, my favourite part of it was the fountain pen section. Of course, those of you with a keen interest in fountain pens and their history should head over to the Pen Museum in the Jewellery Quarter.
The ground floor is filled with some of the most impressive exhibits, including the world’s largest working steam engine. My personal highlights were the train in the featured image, the lighthouse to the left of the above picture and the Spitfire suspended from the ceiling.
In all, this was a wonderful day out for my friends and I and I hope you’ll be able to enjoy it in equal measure.
by Cedric | Jul 15, 2019 | General, Miscellaneous
I am a great fan of antiques. One of my best friends is legally classified as one, as it happens. I won’t tell you which but you should be able to tell by context. Indeed, St Nick, my other best friend, is ancient in every way but his actual age, which experts estimate is around 49 or so. It’s hard to tell when all he talks about is Schubert and The Sodding Bach Cantatas. In any case, I took it upon myself to inspect some more traditional antiques in Brampton, visiting this charming little antiquary.
Among the wondrous debris, I found this peculiar print from Vanity Fair circa 1930. Titled Ape, I was most concerned by the length of the gentleman’s nails! Not the most conducive to smoking I shouldn’t think!
Please ignore the hideous Guinness cufflinks in the background. There’s nothing more tacky than obviously branded clothing. I am, however, a fan of a Faberge egg it must be said. While this one is common, as reflected by the price, it still stands out as a unique adornment to one’s collection, if one collects such things.
I remember when I went to Prague, one of the places I loved most was an antique shop called Mucha Antiques on Staré Měst. I bought my mother the most beautiful silver greyhound necklace. The chain went through the curve in the tail. This silver, crudely rendered greyhound paper weight reminded me of this Praguean purchase.
With these creepy Beatrix Potter figurines, I leave you. I recommend this charming little antique shop in Brampton, which brought me so much joy during my time there. I do hope it will do the same for you.
by Cedric | Jul 9, 2019 | General, Miscellaneous
As none of you were aware, I went to Oxfordshire recently for a peaceful weekend. Getting out of Birmingham has become a great joyful comfort for me. Being away from one’s home town periodically gives great perspective. This goes some way in resetting my creative metre, as it were, and provide you all with a much boosted sarcastic outlook on my various escapades.
Brampton is an idyllic village in the Cotswolds. It lies about 4 miles from Witney. The West Ox Arts Gallery is a jewell in the middle of Brampton village. Inside, there is a spacious gallery which showcases local artists’ work. The light streams in from large vaulted windows, as can be seen below.
Since the gallery hosts 12 exhibitions a year, it is unlikely you will see the same pieces as I have when you visit. But it is worth pointing out some of the pieces I found most exceptional.
The first is this magnificent fused glass bowl. I felt the vibrancy of the colours was astonishing. Fusing glass is not an easy process, even for the most simple combinations. There’s a kiln involved and all sorts of scalpels and tongs, not to mention the fusing gloves. There is a real skill in creating something this complex and beautiful. I can only commend Pamela Fyvie, the artist.
Pamela also created this astonishing time piece using the same method. Observe the variations within each strand of fused blue glass. This pseudo-patriotic artwork delighted me completely.
But above all, this stunning acrylic work by Leigh Henry stole my heart. If anyone is willing to spend £345 on my birthday present, six months in advance, I would be most grateful. The bold brush strokes, startling colour contrasts and overall concept of this piece shook me. I could stare at it for hours and not be bored for a moment.
I encourage you to go to West Ox Arts Gallery if ever you are in the region. It is well worth an hour of your time.
by Cedric | Jun 27, 2019 | Art, General, Miscellaneous
One of the benefits of living in Harborne is one’s proximity to the University of Birmingham. The beautiful campus, overbearingly phallic clock tower, expansive green spaces and exceptional art galleries make for a fabulous day out. I’m not sure the students feel the same way, but I will allow myself a rose-tinted view as I am, after all, colour blind.
Currently on show in the Barber Institute of Fine Arts is a collection from Cassiano dal Pozzo’s illustrations. These were among the first documented anatomical and architectural depictions in history. They make for fascinating viewing and I cannot recommend this free exhibition more.
The new kind of art initiated by the lynxes became part of the “paper museum” of Cassiano dal Pozzo, a 17th-century lawyer, diplomat and scientific amateur. These albums of intricate learning eventually found their way into Britain’s Royal Collection. The Guardian
One of the first things which caught my eye was the original drawings for the floor plan of St Peter’s Basillica in Rome. As none of you will know, I spent one of the greatest years of my life in Rome. I often miss my time there, most frequently when seeing the state of the ‘coffee’ I am served. This picture is MichaelAngelo’s final scheme for the Basillica in 1569. Its inclusion in the collection is evidence of Cassiano’s interest in antique architecture and religious symbolism, this being the most holy site in Catholicism.
It is impossible to overstate the importance of these masterpieces of scientific art, yet until art historian David Freedberg chanced on them in a cupboard in Windsor Castle in 1986, they lay neglected for centuries, their connection with one of Europe’s first scientific academies forgotten. The Guardian
My second favourite piece in the collection is this extraordinary ‘fingered lemon’ which Cassiano drew. This is characteristic of the evolution of botanical understanding. At the time, it was believed that the seed of the lemon was deformed, leading to this disfiguration of the final fruit. Now, we know such deformations are caused by the citrus flower being damaged by small insects pollinating it.
These are just two examples of the wonderful pieces in this temporary exhibition. I highly recommend you go and inspect them. There is a lot to be learned about the progression in thinking as well as the extraordinary work in preserving these significant works.
If you’ve time, take a look around the permanent exhibition, just around the corner. Inside are contained myriad religious icons, a coin collection and some startling watercolours. My personal highlight was this bronze tiger. The way one could see the motions it must have taken just by looking at is quite wonderful.
Enjoy your time at the Barber Institute. I certainly did!
by Cedric | Jun 15, 2019 | Art, General, Miscellaneous
When I asked Shaun at the counter how long this fine establishment had been there, I was astonished to discover MAD was in its 7th year of existence. Having been to Stratford on numerous occasions, I never noticed this slice of mechanical heaven nestled in the bustling Henley Street, at the heart of this quaint town.
If you’re not quite sure what mechanical art is all about, think of the machines and gizmos used in Wallace and Gromit, Scrapheap Challenge and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.
In a nutshell, mechanical art is usually beautifully crafted, moving sculptures either made to have an exaggerated purpose or made simply for the fun of it. MAD Museum
For the sake of both brevity, and mystery, I shall merely highlight the three pieces which amused, enticed and generally aroused me most. The first such exhibit was the ballbearing clock. In many ways it was more precise than our own watches. See the impressively imbedded gif below. I say impressive because I did not know I could do such a thing.
The second piece on display which truly inspired me was the gremlins defacing Shakespeare. Anyone defacing anything brings me great and overwhelming joy. But this most egregious defacement of an iconic figure brought me particular glee. You can see this masterwork in the gif below
Although this was a relatively simple mechanical creation, it has a high impact. I love the construction and conception of this work almost as much as the next one I am about to showcase for you, dear reader.
The next piece combines moribund morbidity, steampunk and elements of ingenuity scarcely seen in the artistic community. The real skull, featuring a steampunk lense, was mounted on a metal construction boasting what looked like a corrugated iron spine. Words can scarcely describe the horror and delight of the piece itself. View it below.
In all, MAD was a top shelf experience. the gift shop itself is indicative of the place not being a money grabbing cash cow likely most of the surrounding shops. This is not just for tourists, it is for people who have a genuine interest in mechanical art and seek something to do which is far from Shakespeare, without wandering beyond the comfortable confines of Stratford proper. I know for a fact you’ll enjoy your time there.
by Cedric | Mar 25, 2019 | General, Miscellaneous
At long last, I returned to Oxford this weekend. The bustling city of the billion bicycles left me awestruck as ever. Not least because of our first stop, a visit to the historic church of St Aloysius Gozaga. Alas, I could not attend Mass at St Mary’s in Harborne, as is my wont. The train proved too early and I will admit a niggling curiosity at the prospect of a Latin sung Mass at St Aloysius’, the only alternative service.
‘St Aloysius of the Church of Rome:
Its incense, reliquaries, brass and lights
Made all seem plain and trivial back at school.›
—John Betjeman, Summoned by Bells
I should say this is not a review of the service, as such. I had all the previous months’ posts lined up before my exams and have not written for quite some time. The written contents of this post, marvellous though they are, represent a stretching of my calligraphic muscles.
During the service, the choir were hidden away on a balcony behind the congregation. The angelic voices, which streamed from above filled the entire church. Incense mingles with the streams of light through the latticed west window to create a smoke of divine implication. The priests were dressed in purple and gold, their Latin pontifications only adding to the majesty of an already overwhelming sermon.
The church was designed, by J. Hansom, the architect of Arundel Cathedral, and the Holy Name church in Manchester. It is of French Gothic inspiration, and was originally colourfully decorated in an Italianate style. In 1954 the decoration was all painted over with two-tone grey. The last repainting in the 1970s gave the church the colours which can be seen today. Oxford Oratory
In all, I thoroughly enjoyed the service, and, while I don’t seek to convert any of you to Catholicism, I might suggest that you visit this wonderful church on your next trip to Oxford. St Aloysius’ is a beautiful place within an immaculate city. Perhaps if you’re there at 11am on a Sunday, catch the Solemn Mass. You won’t regret it.
