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Hello Art Lovers — Europe’s Finest Galleries Are Waiting for You

Art and Europe, they’re synonymous, right?. Some of the greatest artists to ever pick up a paintbrush (or whatever it was that they chose to use) hailed from the hallowed turfs of a number of European countries. From Pablo Picasso to Lucian Freud, Europe totally and truly has a legacy in the world of artwork. And that legacy lives on at all times through the various art galleries that are dotted around the continent. I adore the different galleries in London and have been a lucky enough gal to have visited them on travels too. If you’re a lover of art like me, then you just gotta visit one of, if not all, of the galleries on this list.

Whitechapel Gallery, London – Shoreditch, London boasts an array of top art galleries, but Whitechapel is at the helm of that rather illustrious list. It’s richness in history is just one of the reasons why. It houses pieces created by some of the greatest European artists ever to live, like as mentioned above, Picasso and Freud. It has truly been a staple of the London art scene for well over a century. But it’s not all about the past. Whitechapel also boasts an array of the most modern pieces of art imaginable. A visit here is a must for all art lovers. But why just limit yourself to seeing style in the gallery that you visit? When staying in this part of the world, you have to do it right. By this it is meant that you have to do it in style. And to do it in style you should stay in a hotel like as the Dorsett City, London, it’s pretty swoon worthy in my opinion. The best thing of all, there is merely an eight minute walks worth of distance between this hotel and the gallery. Boom. Treat yo’self. 

The National Gallery, Prague – Prague’s National Gallery plays host to the largest collection of art in the Czech Republic — a pretty impressive feat when you consider just how artsy and vibrant this country is! In this collection, traditional Czech artwork, Cubism and Baroque pieces can be found. so, ya know that a visit here is never gonna get dull. With all the things to see on offer here there will always be something new to feast your eyes upon around every single corner. And there will always be something for somebody to enjoy, even those who you drag to the gallery that kinda protest that galleries are boring!

The Groeninge Museum, Bruges – For all art lovers out there who have a particular appreciation for pieces of the past, then Groeninge is an ace place for you. The artwork found here dates as far back as the 18th century and gives you a real taste for the local culture and the pieces that originate from this area of the world.

When you plan to visit an art gallery, especially one in a city you’ve never been to before, you have to plan your day. You have to be attentive to the fact that there is simply just so much to see, not only in the gallery itself but in the city in which it stands. Because of this, to save you missing out on anything, you should plan your day to ensure you see just about everything. Go, have an adventure! 

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You Say You Wanna Dive Into The Sixties?

It’s a biggie. The V&A’s current main exhibition; ‘You Say You Want A Revolution?’ is epic, I mean, it really is huuuuge! My Mama and I spent last Sunday in sunny Kensington and took in all the sights and sounds of this ace exhibition; a good day indeed. The V&A is always utter perfection when it comes to these giant offerings, the scale was that of the McQueen and the Hollywood *still my all time favourite exhibition* ones, you need a good couple of hours to get round it and get it all up in your face and ears, it’s worth it, it’s always worth it with that place. This show covers so much, you don’t know where to look first, and you’re handed headphones on your way in so there’s constant audio too. The numerous rooms cover the latter part of the sixties, conveying the importance and effects of this massively important era, and they present it through fashion, film, music and political activism from the time. Behold the beauty of the vintage clothes that make up part of the show, perfectly selected to give just the right amount of mixed media. I mean, this exhibition can please most people, any age. The ones who lived through it will be queuing up for a hit of sweet nostalgia, vintage fans, music lovers, people keen to learn about the history, this show has a serious pull to many. It covers loads, there’s even a piece of the actual Moon from NASA in reference to Apollo 11 off of 1969. the actual MOON! I was staring at that for a while let me tell ya! It has outfits from The Beatles ‘Sgt. Pepper’ album cover, a Barbarella outfit, a jumpsuit worn by Mick Jagger and actual handwritten song lyrics from John Lennon and the like. Oooof! It’s really very cool. One room is set up as Woodstock, with fake grass and a big stage streaming footage of the event, full marks to whoever curated that neat little idea! It’s a grand show, a really thorough exhibition, lots to read, look at, listen to and watch. It was almost too much, but I guess it means a second visit is a good idea if you wanna soak it all up real good! I’d say go, do it, go dive into the 60’s for a few hours and become absorbed. Be careful with those headphones though, I took mine off at points just to focus on the visual as it’s all quite in your face. My Mum didn’t though, and her, along with some others, sporadically shouted conversation forgetting they had headphones on; ‘Your Dad wore that aftershave‘ pointing at a Brut ad. Yes, Mum, he did, but the whole of the V&A doesn’t need to hear about it. A good exhibition indeed.  

You Say You Want A Revolution? is on now at The V&A until 26th February 2017

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Sun, Sun, Sunday!

 

 

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Whoop, yesterday was a Sunday full of bright winter sunshine, and so we headed to the coast for a runaround! Zooming off for a bluster of sea air and a blaze of sunlight in our eyes…a good kinda day off. The tide was out at Sheringham and the white stone exposed far out on the beach made us feel as though we had landed on the Moon, brilliant. It always feels so good to get a day away and to explore the coast. We also met a cat which made the day even more perfect. Winter sun is ace. Happy day. 
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Sunny Side Up

I do rather love a day trip to the British coast and Cromer in Norfolk is a classic seaside destination. You can’t ignore the kitsch irony of an English beach on a dark and cloudy autumnal day. The idea of optimism and fun is there, but everyone is freezing, unexcited and most probably parked up eating chips in their car whilst watching the sea. Decayed and disused rides, battered ice cream shacks, abandoned benches and grey skies. In the amusement arcades; the polar opposite, bright flashing colour, neon glowing, clashing sounds of the machines, forced fun, mini bursts of excitement under the stained ceiling tiles and strip lights. So British, so charming in it’s dilapidated state. Much as I love the kitsch beauty of these kinda places, I also find them ever so bleak, they smack of realism, weathered folk queuing in their wheelchairs for hot chips, obese dogs being carried by their equally overfed owners, plastic flowers in the misted up cafe windows and shops selling sun-faded souvenirs of their town. I love the tone of faded beauty in places like this, I love the neon boneyard in Vegas, I love Coney Island, I love Blackpool….but by gosh, I’m glad I can choose not to live in those places, I couldn’t take the extremes of seasons, the burst of people in the summer, followed by the neglect of winter. It is those extremes that make these seaside towns so wistful and austere. It’s like life and death happens to the town every year. When the sun shines down on this little town, it’s the cutest darn thing, it just seems to die a little when the sun stops shining.

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Summer Daytrippin’

I had a feeling in my tummy that we needed a good summer day trip, the sun was a blazin’ so we borrowed the coolest green VW Camper from James’ brother for the day! No map, no Sat-Nav, just a quick sunny adventure for the two of us. We ended up in Ranworth, on The Norfolk Broads, sat in the sun eating, climbed up to the rooftop of a church for some utterly peaceful views and mooched about the sleepy village. We stumbled across a village hall beer fest and this ace house with a charity book sale in their car port…it looked like something from a late 1970’s American movie…..loved it! Then we headed out to Winterton beach to watch seals, kites and people. Sun-swept and wind-kissed, we took the slow route home in the camper as the hazy sun came down over Norfolk. Days like these are good.

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