Georgia O’Keeffe at Tate Modern
Beyond the flowers
Like most people who’ve encountered O’Keeffe’s art its the flowers and sound based abstracts that stick in the mind. So it was great to see such a broad cross section of all her work from the bones to early charcoal work. And a visit to Tate Modern is always enjoyable.
Georgia O’Keefe – leaflet and ticket
In particular the New York landscapes were new to me and I liked the mix of views and times of day used. Having lived in a tower block in a city the high viewpoint of the city at night really struck a chord.
Stieglitz and photographs
Alfred Stieglitz’s photographs featured throughout the exhibition. This included personal photos, landscapes, the well known images of O’Keeffe. The photos added context to O’Keeffe’s life and works but also her relationship with someone who had a creative life in their own right. Seeing Stieglitz’s photos with O’Keeffe’s painting of the same viewpoint was really interesting. Not least because he used daylight whereas she had painted a night scene.
There was little in the way of ephemera in the exhibition but books and copies of Stieglitz’s journal Camera Club were on view. Also exhibited were some examples of his series of cloudscapes from the Equivalent series.
Better known now is Ansel Adams and his work appeared too. He travelled with O’Keeffe and shared a love of landscapes. I found it interesting seeing his large, very clear and more contemporary looking images compared to some of Stieglitz’s smaller and darker prints.
The Cafe at Denmark’s National Gallery
Not just cake in Copenhagen
We did visit the National Gallery for the art and not just the cafe, honest! Actually now I think of it there’s rather a good shop too…
The building itself is splendid although being January the fountain was switched off. The original building is a classic temple to culture and an easy walk from the nearest station. There are plenty of other cultural sights to tempt you nearby and we enjoyed popping in to the Film Museum on the way back to Sweden.
A panoramic view of SMK – with dry fountain!
Finding the cafe
The cafe is in the modern extension of the museum and looks out onto the gardens. So you can have a good view with your refreshments but get there early if you want a window seat as it gets busy! The ceiling is worth a look wherever you sit as its an art work in itself. You’ll spot it as you pass it on your way to the cafe on the upper floor.
Love that funky ceiling!
Not just tea and cake
The cafe has a full menu including a buffet and is licenced. We just wanted some tea and cake and to thaw out a bit too! I had coffee in a very stylish mug along with the Danish version of a scone. My friend had tea and cake with a magnificent teapot.
Cappuccino by candlelight
The teapot was cast iron and the server struggled with it a bit. When we tried lifting it we found it was heavy enough to almost have its own gravity field. It did a fine job of keeping the tea warm as well as being good looking.
A very fine, robust teapot
And the gallery itself?
Full of treats is my immediate thought. Galleries are themed by place and period so there’s a clear theme to follow. Our highlights were the surrealists, not least because their work was placed in the social and political context of their time, and Danish contemporary art simply because not much makes it to England.
I also liked the placing of large sculptures in the galleries. Perhaps my favourite being a life size Victorian lady who appears to be looking at a painting of a lifeboat launch.
What are those men up to?
An unexpected piece of puppet theatre
On the way to the cafe we spotted an intriguing shed like structure. This turned out to be a reproduction of a puppet theatre. It has a performance area on one side and workshop on the other. The gallery now uses it for learning activities. Worth a look if you go there!
The puppet theatre from the audience side
The puppet theatre from the workshop end
The Wallace Collection cafe
An old favourite revisited
I’d meant to go and see the Wallace Collection after its refurbishment for some time. A day off in May afforded the opportunity.
The collection looked splendid as ever and has something for all tastes from armour to ceramics. Plus plenty of well known works of art with Poussin’s A Dance to the Music of Time being a personal favourite. It’s the knowing expression on one of the dancer’s faces that I particularly like.
I enjoyed seeing the much photographed suit of Gothic armour. A professional photographer friend always claimed one day it would disintegrate from being photographed so much!
That suit of Gothic armour at the Wallace Collection
The new cafe
In the best museum professional tradition I tried the cafe.
It’s a lovely space in a covered courtyard and all the staff are really pleasant. I just had coffee and a croissant which was served beautifully. The jam was very impressive and came highly recommended.
Even if you don’t have time to enjoy the collection the cafe is an oasis worth popping into.
Down memory lane
While in Marylebone I went down Chiltern Street where my father had his printing business in the 1960s and 70s.
The corner shop is long gone and it’s all a bit bijou now. The biggest surprise was seeing the fire station is now a cafe bar. Apparently catering for the likes of Kaye Moss. Happily the building remains complete with its Marylebone Fire Brigade plaque.
Watching the firemen maintaining the engines and gear was a regular childhood treat!
Chiltern Street Fire Station in 2015
The Arnolfini Cafe
An old favourite
I’ve visited the Arnolfini many times since moving to the Westcountry in 1985.
Whether just a cuppa and cake or a meal the food and service is uniformly good. It does get crowded as a result though so be prepared to share a table, which can lead to interesting conversation. All of which can refresh you ready to savour the current exihibition or try to resist the tempatation of the book shop!
The Arnolfini is handily close to Temple Meads for pre-train dining, and sitting outside looking across the water is a pleasure on a warm evening.
Coffee and rhubarb crumble tart at the Arnolfini
