Tuesday, November 30, 2010

FESTIVE MIX

Leeds is full of streets of festive lights, nothing seems to follow a theme or holistic design. It's all a bit higgledy piggledy if the décor is taken as a whole. If visually compartmentalised, the decorations are lively and bright.

My eyes were drawn to the Victoria Quarter, a modern construct that has joined genuine Victorian streets with glass roofing,streets, which were not built historically as a shopping arcade. The genuine original solid roofed arcades are not as well presented as the Victoria Quarter, (not 'Victorian', you will note). To be fair, on my recent visit, great efforts have been made to prettily decorate the genuine arcades and their shop windows. Anyway, the Victoria Arcade was a veritable sparkling cracker.
P1030440 Decorated Victoria Qtr
Santa was practising for a variety show:
P1030443 Oops Santa Victoria Qtr
In the Leeds Art Gallery I was impressed with The Tiled Gallery, operating as a café and offering lots of other social potential.
P1030437 Tiled Hall Art Gallery
Homer (or his look-alike) scrutinised the café patrons from his corner position on high.
P1030438 Homer Tiled Hall Art Gallery
In the Art gallery's entrance hall, borrowed sculpted figures by Henry Moore (amongst others) were on display. I got into a minor bit of bother for taking this picture from behind the work. I was told picture-taking was not allowed for art works on loan to the gallery. It was okay to photograph anything that was owned by Leeds and was on display there. I apologised for my unwitting infringement of the rules. The kind custodian, allowed me to keep my picture.
P1030439 Rodin at Art Gallery

6 comments:

Vincent said...

Very nice. But are you sure they are Rodin sculptures? They look more like those of Henry Moore. Who was a Yorkshireman!

Vincent said...

Erm, I may be wrong. Not sure if it is Henry Moore's style. I'd better shut up. Thanks for the story and pics, enjoyed them!

Vincent said...

Hnery Moore, King and Queen, 1952-3

ZACL said...

Oh no, don't shut up, Vincent. You're correct. I did see some Gormley, a wonderful Rodin and several Moore's. There was a treasure trove of other art too.

I was taken by the asymmetry of the three figures vying for pride of place in that part of the hall.

keiko amano said...

ZACL,

Thank you for all the delicious photos. I wish I can be there to see the real objects. I also appreciate your chance-taking attitude! The last photo came out great. I love the back of human bodies.

Hi Vincent! I hope your place isn't too cold.

ZACL said...

HI Keiko,

What was particularly good was, I could touch, feel and stroke, which I did with those metal forms. The shoulders leant themselves to caressing, both vertically and horizontally,(rather like the early iMac computers with their curvy touchy, feely, shape). It all was a naughty 'chance' which worked out that time. I kept my camera zipped in its case during the rest of my gallery visit.

The other pics were of what caught my eye. Glad you enjoyed them.