Photography at the Science Museum -Drawn by Light & Make Life Worth Living

Perhaps a little out of character but Science Museum has a couple of great exhibitions within covering photography -they're  worth a visit if you get the chance and are on until well into 2015.

Although the 'Drawn by Light costs £8 for entry it does seem to offer something quite special using the archives of the National Photography Collection it offers something a bit special, amongst the pictures on show there's just enough detail to make it interesting without being a labour.

An image not looking 101 years old

Quite struck by the picture used in the publicity - I thought fairly contemporary in fact 101 years old the nature of the girl and the fact that it's in striking colour is misleading - and it was taken by engineer Mervyn O' Gorman  

Other slightly 'left field elements include

 The revealing 'Portraits of Patients (1852)' by Dr Hugh Welch Diamond (patients with mental illness)

The staggering 'Majestic Solitude' by Long Chin San


and

the iconic A Fire Guard (1944) by John Hinde (to me it looks a bit like 'Carry On' regular  Charles Hawtrey)



For the scientific angle there's some great examples of early colour photography and the Pre-Polaroid Dubroni instant pictures takes some getting your head around - all in all a very nice show.

Nick Hughes and Shelter.

After looking at The Drawn  by light I was pulled towards the nearby (and surprising to see in the Science Museum) selection of Photographs that are  the 'Make Life Worth Living' display amazing that people lived so poorly in the UK (and perhaps still do) so recently.

Nick Hedges should feel happy (in some ways)  with what his work shows - it's revealing and shaming.

Makes you wonder how we could have the uncaring government we now have - powerful stuff and free to view so you have no excuse.

Yet another Ealing Gazette Picture of the Week (#10 The Avenue Antiques Market)

Well it was a few months back that The Avenue in West Ealing had it's first 'Antique market' and today (Saturday) is the last one of 2014 - they seem to have been successful and today's attempts to harness the Christmas fervour is the biggest so far.

Today - It's expanded up beyond the Drayton Court

This is in fact the fourth Saturday market and they've been so lucky with the weather hope they are too in 2015 (Seems odd to start mentioning 2015)

It was good also to see that The Ealing Gazette keep my pictures on file and has put my September picture of the market into service (perhaps that's what's attracted the new punters).

And in the sunny days a few months ago (is it the same guy?)

About Ealing -walking from Brentford

Yesterday I was required to take my ageing car for it's annual MOT and service as I'd got my camera with me I took a few pictures along the way - first thing to note was the (Brentford) buildings (this includes Brentford Tower) that are shooting up - this is going to change the area fairly dramatically.

Just part of the building work on the way to Brentford F.C.

After quite a few months the pub that is known as The Ealing Park Tavern seems to be functioning again have had some nice meals there and hope it is now returned to a good place for celebratory meals.

 

The Ealing Park Tavern is back - it was the very essence of a Gastro' Pub (and that's no bad thing to be)

After The Ealing Park Tavern (proceeding in a northerly  direction as officers of the law might say) I arrived at The University of West London (as it is now known).

I had not noticed before the plaque to Lady Byron of Lord Byron) she founded Ealing Grove School in 1834 in what was  the first 'industrial school' of its type.

The Byron Plaque

In  1860 (after Lady Byron's death) C. N. Atlee, a former headmaster of the Lady Byron school set up the Byron House School in St. Mary's Road this  has evolved through the years  into the present-day University of West London and the blue plaque there is  dedicated to  her and the pioneering, enlightened approach to education she is associated with.

The present day University

Philosophical Footnote: having heard Heidegger being 'slagged off''  earlier in the I week have been trying to find out more about his perspective - watched this  film the excellently titled/described ' A film about Martin Heidegger's Philosophy' which may or may not reflect a standpoint he took - enjoyed it and good to see that Hubert Dreyfuss  who was interviewed by Bryan Magee for a TV show on him retained his enthusiasm for the man many years later 

Design Museum Tour Guiding - Testing the water and Christmas is coming

Yesterday I had the chance to have a dry run of my Collection Lab tour at the Design Museum.

Funky  building near The Design Museum

Although I'd spent  sometime in preparation there's nothing like getting actual feedback from 'doing it', very useful to think too about the mechanics of moving the punters from point A to point Bas well.

The narrative that has emerged around the items I plan to major on involves the role of local culture on the country of origin and the significance of the designer in some of the iconic items.

Step forward

Feedback from people who know the Collection Lab intimately also meant I'm now more aware of the Design Museums own awards as well as the reason the AK 47 is so named.

The Collection Lab at The Design Museum which is home to some short design tours 

What everyone (actually me) is thinking about for their stocking

1) Well sometime ago I was excited to see at the Science Museum 3D printing was going mainstream well I've seen that Maplin have them for sale - could be a good thing to get into.

3D printer on the High Street

2) In terms of books I've not got to far with the Marcel Proust classic  'À la recherche du temps perdu' (in search of lost time) but having spoken with the knowledgeable Russian scholar Mr Shaun Sullivan  about Tolstoy's The Death of  Ivan Ilych  (which Scott the CityLit Philosopher teacher mentioned on more than one occasion) I'm now drawn to this much shorter work.

3) I've strategically avoided buying Leonard Cohen's latest CD Popular Problems (and a concert DVD of his relatively recent performance too) also be interested to hear the collection titled The Art of McCartney. 

4) I'd also be tempted by a number of Photographic books (instructive as well as 'Coffee table') and am beginning to think again of upgrading from my current camera.