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| Photo: Telegraph |
Good news from London: it's finally stopped raining. Which is a relief, I'm tired of having crap hair and damp feet. So for the first time in ages Mr & Mrs That's Not My Age jumped on our bicycles and headed over to Hyde Park to see this year's Serpentine Gallery Pavilion. Designed by the artist Ai Weiwei, it's a sunken, cork-lined structure with a circular pool of water on top. Underneath was very busy, though I managed to snap a few photos without having to ask the crowds to step aside - and the water had a calming effect:
Ai Wewei hasn't seen his latest piece of work, he's stuck in Bejing under constant surveillance. The 55-year-old Chinese artist designed the pavilion via Skype, in conjunction with Herzog & de Meuron who he worked with on Tate Modern and the Bird's Nest Stadium for the Bejing Olympics. He told the Independent, 'Using Skype is lovely. I think all projects should be done with Skype.' And he's not wrong. I'm currently trying to figure out ways of Skyping myself into the office so that I can stay at home all week. 'The pavilion concept is about memory and questioning. It's to offer something the public will hopefully enjoy at this moment, there with the Olympics. I hope the Olympics in London won't have any problems for the people who live there. But it's a civil society, the Olympics is made for the citizens.'
Shame the citizens can't get hold of tickets! At least I'll be able to buy one the good old-fashioned way instead of having to enter a Kafka-esque lottery for Never Sorry, the Sundance Festival prize-winning documentary about Ai Wewei's work, out this summer.
What have you been doing this weekend?
Oh, I'd love to see that installation or *any* of his work in person. Glad to hear your weather's improved!
ReplyDeleteThis is really cool! I would love to sit underneath. Send some rain Texas way...we can still use it!
ReplyDeleteSkyping yourself into the office is such a great idea! The pavilion appears serene and peaceful from here and must have been the perfect way to spend time after your cold and rainy weather.
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful space, I'll have to make a trip to Hyde Park to go and see it x
ReplyDeletePenny Dreadful Vintage
That looks wonderful, what a shame he can't get to visit it himself.
ReplyDeleteI've been mainly sheltering from the rain and high winds, getting soaked on the way home from the pub! x
Oh I forgot. Just because you live in London does not automatically get you in at the Olympics. That would be terrible if they make it a hassle for you to get tickets. For some reason I envision London being much more beautiful in the rain than rainy Portland, Oregon.
ReplyDeleteFor example the photos you just shared are beautiful
What an amazing piece of "sculpture". What did it sound like?
ReplyDeleteI visited the Pavilion this morning.
ReplyDeleteI did not immediately register it was cork, as my eyes saw marble and I did not realise the mushrooms were mobile until I leant against one.
A young boy knocked one over and looked a little chagrinned..so I grinned at him. A soft and restful place to be for a while
Terri - it was quite busy, so lots of muffled chattering but I'd like to go again when it's a bit quieter.
ReplyDeleteZanni - wasn't so restful when we were there, I think I need to visit again on a weekday morning!