The thoughts of William Morris and a trip to the Summer Exhibition

I'm combing two posts into one here, though they do crossover. Firstly, I've just finished a little book by William Morris (the pre-Raphaelite and top man of the Arts & Craft Movement - in my book the best all rounder and forward thinker....you get that I like him?). The book Useful Work v. Useless Toil consists of three lectures he gave in the 1800's. The first has the title of the book and deals with the class divide, the lot of the posh against the lot of the poor. Very interesting and a lot of what he says is relevant today. This lecture in a way is highlighted in the end script of how he became a socialist. Morris had this vision of a perfect world where everyone was equal and the ordinary man worked less hours and enjoyed his occupation because he would be happy with his life - no more toil for useless things for the rich. Morris talked about the middle men and how people want cheap products and are not prepared to pay for quality. This still stands today.

Mass produced art (factory made) is always cheaper. Even if we look at greetings cards - you can buy 5 cards for £1 in The Card Factory whereas a handmade card costs up to £3, maybe more, for one. The work put into a handmade card is long and has individually care. Not many people are prepared to pay for that. Being an artist, art/crafter or whatever, you are not likely to make your fortune. I've made my own cards - it is expensive and time consuming, but I do it because I love it. I will buy from cheap shops but I will also pay extra for a handmade card. I try to support local artist/crafters when I can because their work is high quality and it's wonderful to buy something from the artist themselves. There is something personal about it.

Morris second lecture is about Gothic Architecture. He slates some forms of architecture (I wonder what he'd make of London these days!). The third lecture is about the lesser arts, which ties in with the first lecture quite well. I love Morris' ideal world and about equality but I fear it will never happen. There could be more equality in the world but there will also be greed and the long for power. Then there is the point about people and how they live. You give the same money to two people and they will use it differently. One might save, the other will blow the lot. Soon one will be poor and the other rich. We are not all the same and that I guess is what makes us so interesting. So while it would be wonderful if we all had a great standard of living and be happy with our lot - some will be some won't whatever they have and whatever you do. Does that sound cynical? As for those who seem to have no voice in this world we have to fight for them and get justice for for them. It is right that we don't get complacent in our lives and think these people are nothing to do with us. They are.

Anyway, I'd like to tell William Morris that art is still alive and kicking, though what he'd make of the Turner Prize, heaven knows!

This has a moving arm and a camera on the top. What
it filmed was shown on the screen over the RA entrance
You can get a small version from the RA shop -
just £6.000!

And while on the subject of  things of an arty nature a friend and I went off to see the Summer Exhibition at the Royal Academy on Tuesday. I'd never been before and probably wouldn't have bothered, but my friend suggested it and I thought it would make a change. Well, I'm glad I did go. While I didn't like everything, this is the people's exhibition and you are even encouraged to take photos! It was great fun and I think all school kids should go (there were a few school parties). It would bring art to life for them (you see I've made a complete turnaround in my opinion!). I loved the architecture room - little models excite me! Some exhibits were really weird but somehow they worked, or provoked which all forms of art hope to do. If no one is talking about your work it is not doing its job. With over 1,000 exhibits it takes a while to get through the rooms but it's well worth it. There was a painting by Harry Hill there of David Beckham. Well, it was a talking point! There was a triptych of photos of odd bits which looked like wood and the back of someone falling into them. I said 'someone's having trouble with their Ikea flat pack.' I got a laugh from the woman next to me. We always come back to that question - what is art? I'm not sure I know anymore except it's whatever moves me. Art at the exhibition was for sale, anything from £70 to over £120,000. What makes one piece of art worth more than another., Maybe having the letters RA after your name? Little red dots on works were an indication of how popular something was to buy.

The architecture room

Boroughs in London - the River Thames is in pink

Each panel holds individual mug shots which change! Hypnotic!

A view through the rooms.

This was really macabre. He is holding his eyeballs.

Same piece - all holding their eyeballs.

An piece about hair! Maybe entitled Hair Piece?

After leaving the exhibition I dragged my poor friend into Soho (actually she was okay about it). I wanted to visit Pret a Manger's only veggie/vegan outlet. A pop-up shop which is now staying for the summer (hurray!) I'd been waiting for the opportunity to visit and I was not disappointed, It was wonderful not to have to read the labels. Everything was suitable for me. The shop was busy and thriving. We actually had to stand and eat until we could grab two stools together. We both had soup - my friend had Tomato with a roll and I had Vegetable Tagine which was thick and gorgeous. I followed it with a 'super' fruit salad.

Veggie Pret in Soho

The soups - yum

The two of us ambled through the streets and were accosted by a lovely guy while we were admiring his textiles in the window of his shop. 'Come in, the best is inside. You don't have to buy anything,' he said. Yeah right! Nothing was priced so we only had his word for the 'it was £30 now £10.' But he was so nice and the scarves and cushion covers were so pretty. I loved the vibrant colours. Well, of course we ended up with a scarf each - even the same colour (we do this, my friend and I. We go for the same clothes and colours but we don't mind - we have excellent taste!). We were happy with our £10 bargain scarves!

From there we wandered in Green Park for a cuppa and sit down before going through St James Park and back to the tube where we parted. It was an excellent day and we had so many laughs.

Great busker!

Taken from St James Park