Stuff to see and do

The Ron Arad piece at the Roundhouse is definitely worth a couple of hours of your time. It comprises 10 or so artists' video work on a 360 degree silicone tube curtain - its a 2 hour loop.

My favourite was by Ori Gersht and features a bullfighter getting dressed combined with film of the audience getting ready for the fight to commence along with sounds of the bull getting ready - lots of tension and a fascinating insight into what a bullfighter wears ...

Mat Collishaw's piece Sordid earth was very atmospheric

David Shrigley's giant naked man was interesting at the start but didn't really develop into anything

Klasmer and Klasmer's piece made good use of the 360 degree screen and of new technology

http://www.roundhouse.org.uk/series/ron-arads-curtain-call

http://www.whitechapelgallery.org/exhibitions/thomas-struth-photographs-1978-2010

http://dearphotograph.com/

Arthroscopy - Arthur Askepy - Busy Bee - Sore Knee

I had an operation, an arthroscopy, on my knee today to remove some damaged cartilage - fortunately I read this article in today's Guardian after the operation

http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2011/jul/31/bupa-accuses-surgeons-unnecessary-operations?INTCMP=SRCH

Histological image of hyaline cartilage stained with haematoxylin & eosin, under polarized light

As I was about to go under I mentioned to the nurse that any images of the event would be very useful for my forthcoming fine art degree - these images were handed to me on a CD on leaving the hospital ....

Speech bubble competition now open - answers on a postcard ...

All rather beautiful and may have to send to the Cloud Appreciation Society - http://cloudappreciationsociety.org/

To finish off here's a video of the event ... stop at 4 min 30 sec if you are of a squeamish disposition ...

Stockholm syndrome

Images from a long weekend in Stockholm ...

Had to work out how to signal to the local ferries to tell them you needed to be picked up

Lots to see when you finally get onto the ferry ...

Old notice board of the week ...

Favourite shop front ...

Inside the best local ferry

This is the one ...

Nacka Strand with a sculpture by Carl Milles.

Somehow we found ourselves in an exhibition of the history of Voudou in Haiti - totally the product of the oppression of slaves on the island by the French colonisers - they turned to magic as the last source of power of the vulnerable.

Then to the modern art museum - liked this piece in transit

But best of all was time spent gazing out to sea ...

Searching for a bit of slack

Went on a big adventure on friday with our Thames boat owners, Brian and Lynn - ended up going much further than planned...

An early warning ...

More ghost building images.

Storm clouds over the Houses of Parliament

Having a well earned break - waiting for some slack water and the tide to turn ...

Staring to get a bit late ...

Almost home

Slack water at last

Old hippies and barn owls

Went to Barnes Fair on Saturday, and purchased a few goodies ...

This LP came with the original tour programme from 1988 - I was there at the Hammersmith Odeon - John Miles on vocals, Jimmy Page on guitar and a very young Jason Bonham on drums - when I saw them Robert Plant joined them for an encore of Rock N Roll ...

Also a rare UK copy of Trout Mask Replica ...

But the real find was a piece of taxidermy - a rather lovely Barn Owl ...

Beautiful plummage ...

Must be national owl week - this photo in the news this week is that of a owl crashing into a window in Kendal and leaving his imprint .

Back to Barney ...

Amanda's prize purchase was a knitted nativity scene ...

Christmas can't come too soon !

Post script

Visited the At Home in Japan exhibition at the Geffrye Museum in Shoreditch - models of all things Owl are placed near the front door where the Japanese take off their shoes and put on their slippers - the Owls repel any evils spirits brought in from the outside - now I know what to do with my new Barn Owl!