Apocalypse is a coming ...Tate Britain

I've been reading and watching a lot of apocalyptic stories recently - seems to be the right thing to do at the moment - I'm preparing for the worst ....

2012 looks to be the year of the apocalypse - see http://2012apocalypse.net/

and see https://www.zombiesrungame.com/ for a post-apocalyptic running app for your iphone.

Watched The Road and Children of Men over Christmas -both are grim in the extreme but they both conclude with some element of hope - not sure apocalypses end that way in reality. We'll soon know ...

Have also watched the new Tinker Tailor Spy, I re-watched the old BBC series and read the original John Le Carre book - I think I've understood it know -  a very depressing view of Britain of the late 50's but I am now fully equipped with the tools of the trade and useful tricks to protect myself in the future.

To go alongside this, I revisited the John Martin show at the Tate Britain - this is my fifth visit so I also volunteered to take a few close friends around and give them the benefit of my new apocalyptic and cold war knowledge.

I like the way he used biblical and poetic stories that threaten the reader with the end of the world if they don't behave themselves - these rules of behaviour being invented by religious leader, poets and writers seeking to control others. John Martin didn't see why it shouldn't be him dictating to those around him.

The theatrical piece at the end was the highlight - a precursor to the power of the moving image

I also liked his cabinet containing his art and engineering plans and the front drawer containing his fan mail from royalty, the establishment and the art and scientific world - a self-made monument to his greatness.



His engineering plans to build a massive sewer alongside the Thames was also fascinating - if only they had listened we wouldn't be spending over £4 billion on a new tunnel under the Thames - see http://www.thamestunnelconsultation.co.uk/what-we-are-doing/our-plan/


Also see my suggested plan for filling in the Thames from 2010 - 


http://jogroglog.blogspot.com/2010/04/filing-in-thames.html


I gave some thought to how all of this may influence my work in the future - perhaps I should look at apocalypse with no happy ending or write my own set of rules.

In fact, I have long been compiling a list of how society will work when I'm in charge - to follow.

Happy New Year Dictatoring to you all !