CAG on museums: The British Science Festival 7-12 September 2013

Photo by David Scharf ‘Human Lymphocyte’

The British Science Festival is taking place in Newcastle this year and is a celebration of science, engineering and technology. The festival travels to different UK cities every year and offers an array of activities to get the public involved and interested in science. There are so many things going on for the festival, but so far I’ve been concentrating on some of the more artistic displays of art, technology, and science.

Jennifer Allinson giving an artist talk in the Hatton Gallery

I attended the artist talk and opening of Jennifer Allinson’s body armour sculpture show. During her talk she explained how she created her fragile armour pieces through an mix of sewing skills, engineering to create the porcelain pieces and some of their supports, and the manipulation of materials, which is key to sculpting.

Arm bands

Corset/bodice

There was also a piece in the Hatton Gallery foyer called winter flowers, which used a mix of metal, acrylic, silk, and real tree branches.

'Winter Flowers' by Jenny Allinson

There is also the ‘International Images for Science 2013’ exhibition based on a partnership of the Royal Photographic Society and Science and Technology Facilities Council of 100 images from scientists, researchers, and others of science themed explorations, which is on at the Great North Museum: Hancock.

Photo by Robert Hurt ‘Massive star making waves’

Photo David Doubliet ‘World of Penguins, Antarctic Peninsula’

There are some slightly upsetting images for the over-sensitive public such as myself of some human maladies, and the inside of human that made me feel a bit icky, but overall some really interesting photos.

Photo by Paul Whitten ‘Retinal Haemorrhage’

I also went to a display about how barnacles reproduce and stick to surfaces in the sea, watched them feed on prawns, and looked at the kind of paint that is being used to paint ships today to keep barnacles off ship surfaces.

Live sea barnacles

On September 11, I plan on going to a lecture in the Newcastle University Fine Art Lecture Theatre on the ‘Tipping points in nature and society’. Lots happening all around this week.

The history of Notting Hill Carnival

It’s been quite a while since I wrote a blog update, but it’s really been a very full on couple of weeks in the museum world for me. One of the more fun breaks I had included my normal pilgrimage to the Notting Hill Carnival in West London.  When I lived in London, I resided in Notting Hill and Ladbroke Grove for about 5 years partially because in the first year when I moved to London I happened upon the street festival completely by accident and immediately loved it. I had never heard anything about the carnival before despite it being the second largest street festival after Rio de Janeiro.

The first carnival called ‘Caribbean Carnival’ was held in St. Pancras Town Hall and organised by Claudia Jones, a Trinidadian journalist who intended to hold carnival as a way to mend some the recent racial tensions on 30 January 1959. In 1966, carnival was held as a school children’s street party that was intended to celebrate the diversity of the Notting Hill community. A steel drum band led by Russell Henderson also joined the parade and walked around the neighbourhood playing. By 1976, the Caribbean element of the carnival was solidified. There were still riots between police and young Caribbean community members. Carnival has continued on the Sunday and Monday of August bank holiday for years, and has maintained its West Indian roots.

There are over 40 static sound systems playing reggae, jazz, calypso, dub and many other musical genres and a parade of moving sound systems followed by a costumed procession who walk the parade route.

 Bank holiday Sunday carnival is a children’s day, although it’s hardly super child friendly.

And the Monday is the day with all of the costumes. This is probably the most iconic day (despite being the day that I mostly skip after a day of over enjoying Sunday).

Even Londonites make far too big of a deal over the violence that has been recorded at the Notting Hill Carnival. I’ve attended for six years, and it’s always been nothing but music, dancing, massive crowds, and jerk chicken.

CAG in London: Kristin Scott Thomas and the Barber of Seville

This past week, I had to go back to London to work at the British Museum, and while I was there I took in every bit of culture that I possibly could. I went to Lichtenstein at the Tate Modern. It was a very interesting retrospective, which the Tate usually does well.

Outside of The Harold Pinter Theatre

I went to Harold Pinter’s Old Times, starring Kristin Scott Thomas, Rufus Sewell and Lia Williams. I was told before going that the two starring actresses switch roles depending on the night, and that will define the kind of show you see. The night I went, Kristin Scott Thomas was playing Kate, and Lia Williams was Anna. I thought the play was dramatic and had a few good laughs to break it up, but overall it was pretty confusing.

Somewhere towards the end I just didn't understand what was happening anymore. And in the future I’ll also learn not to have multiple drinks before a play that has no intermission!

Ceiling of theatre 

Stage before the show

I also went to the English National Opera house to see The Barber of Seville. I hadn't realized it is the prequel to The Marriage of Figaro, which I went to last year and I was really pleased to see it. Any comedic opera about falling in love, wooing someone, and pretending to be drunk gets my vote.

Inside the ENO

Something strange did happen though...as the lights dimmed to begin the opera, the Casting Manager for ENO came on the stage to announce that the actor playing the role of Count Almaviva was very ill, and so was his understudy. He then explained that they could only find one actor who knew the staging and another who knew the specific song translation ENO was using. So while one actor was playing Almaviva onstage, another was singing his part to the right of the stage.

Announcement of change to actors

Scene onstage

Overall I really loved the opera, but there was certainly a weird Milli Vanilli vibe for the night.

Milli Vanilli (in black) taking a bow