Decided to have a day in town so I bought the Travel card and went in on the 9.23. The first stop was the Host Gallery just off Old Street in the city. There was a show entitled Hard Men and Heroes by Stephan Vanfleteren who shoots gritty back and whites. The photos showed scenes and portraits of cyclists and spectators of the various cycle races that culminate in the tough Tour of Flanders. The show coincides with the beginning of the Tour de France in London on Saturday. Great photos of some really tough looking men who live in this cold, drizzly part of Belgium.
From there I made my way to the Tate Britain on Millbank to see the Turner watercolours. En route I passed by the old offices at John Murray where I first worked in 1959 – now but a large hole! The Turner show was partially curated by David Hockney and was brilliant. Talk about ahead of his time! I was really floored by his ‘colour beginning’ sketches which are very gestural and abstract but then you check out some of his studies of architecture and you wonder how he did them – they are so tight and wonderfully accurate. No wonder the guy was successful. I also like the fact that he travelled in the summer and then spent the winter in the studio doing large studio pieces. He owned his own gallery on Harley Street and exhibited once a year. There were also some new Hockneys at the Tate – a watercolour in the Turner show and five of his new large multi canvas paintings of Yorkshire. Interesting idea but I find his new palette a bit garish. Lunched on the steps of the Tate and then caught a bus up to Piccadilly. Rode on top at the front and was again amazed at London. The Horseguards in Whitehall looked younger than ever and I was fascinated by the variety of decoration and the rooflines of the houses. Also noticed how effective the Congestion Tax appears to be. it is still crowded but at least it moves now.
Got off bus at Albemarle Street where I worked from 1961 – 1963 – still a very elegant address. Walked along Piccadilly to the Royal Academy where I bought a ticket £6 – for seniors for the Summer Show. Huge show with every conceivable kind of art. Big Hockney but again weird palette and a massive Anselm Keifer complete with lead submarine and the roots of something sprouting out of it. Loads of paintings of all sizes and a surprising number of large drawings but nothing cheap. Lots of red dots. Also a lot of people looking and taking notes. I think that if you can get in, one can probably sell from here. After all this culture I caught the tube to Waterloo and met Julia and her friend Donna and we had a tasty and cheap fish and chip supper at a place on Waterloo Road just by the Old Vic. Julia and I then returned to Windsor.