Spectre Versus Rector

I read Gaudete, the long narrative poem by Ted Hughes, published in 1977. I first saw a reference to this in the Introduction to An Aesthetic Of Obscenity, the anthology of novels by Jeff Nuttall. The volume included The Patriarchs, his short novel from 1980 (subtitled “An early summer landscape”). It commences: The poet Jack […]

Global Gestalt

I have finally got to the end of watching Sense8 on Netflix. The show originally ran from 2015 to 2018. It took me the last few months, on and off. The show starts with Daryl Hannah alone in a ruined church. Naveen Andrews appears next to her, but it seems that he is only present […]

Slumber Party

I went to see Sleepova at Bush Theatre. “Relaxed environment” also means that during one of the dance scenes a member of the audience was invited to join in. The performance is in the main Holloway Theatre. Although it is arranged in the 3-sided configuration, the back wall does have a doorway to a side […]

Passing The Border

I watched some films from the 20th century. Arranged chronologically, they show an increase in representation of minorities; however the most recent one was made 40 years ago. Borderline (1930) starts with a brief glimpse of a train rushing through countryside. We get an abbreviated cast list, which includes “Helga Doorn” who was actually Hilda […]

Praying For Silence

I finally got round to watching Saint Maud. I first saw a trailer for this in March 2020, just before the first lockdown, when I went to see the adaptation of The Color Out Of Space. At the time I wasn’t too excited by the trailer, or the film I went to see. As it […]

The Public Gets What The Public Wants

I went to Raven Row to see the People Make Television presentation. “Exhibition” wouldn’t be quite right, as there is an excellent free handbook containing several essays and lots of broadcast detail, but other than that it’s televisions and people sitting around watching a limited selection of shows. A live performance art piece in which […]

Gardens Of Pain

I went to see the new exhibition “Posadila sam kost u zimskom vrtu“ by TARWUK at White Cube Mason’s Yard. These are the works and the titles as given, notice that they include backwards-writing in English as well as Yugoslav place names. The sculpture “KLOSKLAS_11.1.1968.litsirePinevrC” (2022): Going downstairs… The sculpture “KLOSKLAS_1969_evitisoP_elbuoD” (2022): The sculpture “KLOSKLAS_kinemopS” […]

Free Forms

I went to see Once Upon A Time, the Imi Knoebel exhibition at White Cube Bermondsey. All of these works are from 2022: The room taken up by “Untern Strich (Bottom Line” (1968/2019): Another room: Closer to the far wall loses colour: There is a video playback of an interview with the artist. In the […]

Jackson’s Sisters

I saw some new exhibitions. At StolenSpace, there is You Are Here: In the next room, Dream State: Over at Whitechapel Gallery, the opening of Action, Gesture, Paint. A long view: In a corner:

Quarter Life Crisis

I watched All My Friends Hate Me (2021). We start with Pete driving a rather nice car on his way to somewhere in the countryside. He has flashbacks to talking to his girlfriend Sonia about the plan for her to come along later and join in the birthday party for him at his friend’s house. […]