Lift 109 Battersea Power Station and The Rossettis Exhibition

Lift 109, Battersea Power Station

Battersea Power Station.
The right hand side chimney is where the lift pops out!

 The last time I was at Battersea (two years ago) the Power Station complex wasn't open. Going back last week was exciting. Yes, they are still building, but this was a Bank Holiday weekend and Battersea was buzzing. The added bonus (apart from the shopping in the halls) is the lift. 

Shopping complex

Behind the windows are the control rooms

We arrived early and began our tour around the shopping complex. It is huge inside with the usual array of shops and eating establishments, but it feels spacious. I do have to commend them on their many toilets. These things are important! I guess, you could spend a good few hours here. There is even a cinema.

Standing between two favourite people - Charles Darwin and David Hockney!

The experience of Lift 109 was great. There is time to have a look at displays on the history of the power station before you go through the door to the interactive experience. A couple of short displays and then into the first lift, which takes you 12 floors up. Then a short flight of stairs to the main lift. The excitement builds. The lift has glass walls. When you look up you can see the sky. As the lift rises, rings of red pulsate and then out you pop at the top for the fantastic views of London. Ten minutes to take in the views and take photos. The day was clear and sunny, so the views were really good. You can walk around to take shots from every direction, and there are pointers on information boards to let you know what you are looking at and what to spot. Here is a link to my video which won't load here (I think because it's an mp3. https://www.youtube.com/shorts/E6nZJ014Das  Meanwhile here is a photo.

The view going up in the lift looking towards the sky/

Views from the top

Battersea Power Station was designed by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott, known for his architectual work on Waterloo Bridge and Liverpool Cathedral. Work began in 1929 and was completed by the British Electric Company in 1948. It began operating in 1953. The building has a lavish Art Deco interior. The building closed in 1983 and fell into disrepair. In 2007 the whole building became a Grade II listed building. Many ideas for redevelopment came forward, but it wasn't until 2012 that Malaysain investors came along, and the rest, as they say, is history.

Some interesting facts. The Luftwafe used the plumes of Battersea Power Station during the war as guides, which was why the power station was never bombed. A scene from Batman was filmed inside the building.

Tickets for the lift vary in price. A weekday should be cheaper than weekends. You can just turn up, but it is best to book in advance (also cheaper than on the door). Also, I've heard of people being disappointed when they've not booked because they are fully booked.

After our trip in the lift we continued our tour of the building before walking outside. People were in deckchairs on the green space near the river. Being a Bank Holiday weekend it was very busy. From there we walked back to Vauxhall station along the River Thames (you still can't walk all the way along the Thames Path, due to building work still continuing). A lovely day with new experiences. What's not to like?

This is the history display before entering the lift

Control Room B is a cafe/restaurant. You can see some of the equipment behind where the peopl are sitting.

General view of shopping complex

The Rossettis at Tate Britain

I am a fan of anything Pre-Raphaelite, so when I heard this exhibition was coming up, I knew this was a must. The exhibition is about the Rossetti family, and I cannot remember such an exhibition before. Here you find poems by Christina Rossetti, paintings by William and Gabriel. Obviously Gabriel is the most famous and has the most work on display here, but I've never seen so much about his sister Christina. There were four Rossetti children, very close in age, Maria  (1827-1876), Gabriel (1828-1882), William (1929-1919) and Christina (1830-1894). Christina and Maria worked hard to help, what was then called 'fallen women', working for a church charity. William was an artist, but had to sideline his work to help the family finances and worked for the civil service and Gabriel went to art school. The family were of Italian heritage.

Workings and sketches for 'Found' by Gabriel Rossetti which remained unfinished at Rossetti's death.  The head of Fanny Cornforth (model) was added later.

I was amazed to read that Christina and Gabriel published their first poetry aged 15 and 16 and that Christina pubished 900 poems. Some of her books (illustrated by her brother Gabriel) are on show at the exhibition.

Although I knew that Gabriel's model/lover and later wife, Lizzie Siddal was an artist, I had never realised just how prolific she was. Lizzie is more portrayed as Gabriel's tragic lover who died of a Laudanum overdose. Gabriel was so distraught by her death that he buried his poems with her. Later he regretted that decision and had them recovered! There were many art works here that I'd never seen before, including workings and sketches. The exhibition touched on the forming of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood and there are examples of furniture made and decorated by Gabriel and William Morris, and their magazine The Germ, edited by William Rossetti. There was a whole room dedicated to Gabriel's obsession with Janey Morris (William Morris' wife), including photos (set against William Morris wallpaper!) and paintings.

Designed and painted by Rossetti

William Morris chair and sofa

The boy has no name. He was probably a slave and Rossetti struck a deal with his master to use him as a model. See painting below where he is at the front.

Christina Rossetti by her brother, Gabriel

Photos of Janey Morris against William Morris wallpaper

I thought this exhibition was outstanding and I even ended up buying the exhibition book. It was an ultimate pleasure to have so much work displayed in one place. A dream for me! I wondered if there would be anything new I could learn from this exhibition, as I've read and seen so much over the years of anything connected to the Pre-Raphaelite artists, but yes, definitely. I learned a lot. Well done to currators of this exhibition. It was stunning. The exhibition runs until 24th September. Get down there!