Picture Diary

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Jun 2

I went all the way to Norwich to catch the Arborealists’ latest exhibition (trees) and fell in love with this painting - ‘Arboreal Grace’ by Ferha Farooqui. Ferha is a London-based artist who draws most of her inspiration from the East End where she lives.Her painting is perfectly composed, like a poem, and yet the idyllic scene does not shy away from ordinary, sometimes difficult themes - such as a single mother in the foreground (?) or a group of immigrants in the middle ground with suburban and social housing in the background. Beautiful …

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May 4

Last week of the Jeffery Camp exhibition at the Art Space Gallery in Islington - a small but epic show which aims to represent most of this painter’s artistic ‘incarnations’ (for want of a better word). This includes his London period when he painted obsessively nude bodies by the Thames. The deep, rich layering of paint invites to dwell on night and day reflections and the desire for close, physical interaction with the river. Worth catching before it closes. Gallery opened by appointment. Jeffery Camp (1923-2020)

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May 2

I first visited Eastbury Manor (between Barking & Dagenham) about twenty years ago. This 16th-century house is one of the lesser known National Trust properties, unfairly so I think.The gardens were neat and tidy, the history of the house is fascinating and the Painted Room, despite its fragmentary state, quite an extraordinary survival. In the East garden they were rehearsing a play - either Twelfth Night or Guy Fawkes - and that brought new life to this house which has been closed for so long - open on Sundays only.

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Mar 29

Riveting visit to the Nomad Hotel, Covent Garden (opposite the Royal Opera House). The interior design takes your breath away and the site and building have a fascinating history - the first police station in London. If you go at the weekend, you’ll be able to visit the small but perfectly formed Bow Street Police Museum (with police cells) and if the rooms have not been hired, the old Court Rooms - now used for special hospitality events - are also worth seeing. Warning: we went for Sunday brunch but found the food expensive and rather disappointing. Pity, it could have been perfect …

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Mar 21

Celebrating Persian New Year (Nowrous) somewhere in Fulham overlooking the Thames and Barnes Wetland Centre.Wonderful lunch which started with sweet lemons and paying homage to a display celebrating the arrival of spring on Sunday at 15.33 p.m.!

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Feb 28

A parting meal at ‘Sticky Mango’ in Waterloo. I have lived here for just over seven months (in temporary accommodation with wonderful friends) and it really is a great place to be.After thirty five years or so in South London, I’m off to Dagenham and the Becontree estate - a new adventure in ‘Far East’ London.

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Jan 13

Extraordinary congregation of LIONS on Millennium Green at Waterloo! Committed ecologists and artists Gillie and Marc have created this installation, Born Free Forever, to raise awareness and funds for endangered species around the world. The work is based around the lives of George and Joy Williamson who dedicated their lives to the welfare of lions; they became famous for raising lion cub Elsa and returning her to the wild.

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Dec 4

Terrific evening at Paladar restaurant, St George’s Circus (between Waterloo and Elephant & Castle). Inventive dishes are served for sharing, reasonably priced so that you can sample several dishes. Gluten free and delicious! Great atmosphere too …

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Dec 1

Thames … glorious Thames!I’ll admit I was very disappointed by the Museum of London Docklands’ current exhibition on the port of London. But there is one extraordinary exhibit (alas not captioned) as you leave the exhibition: a slow flyover the Thames from east to west (I have reversed the order in these snapshots). Can you spot the Thames Barrier and the Dartford crossing?

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Nov 12

Spectacular Beethoven concert at Surrey Quays Printworks, once home to Western Europe’s largest printing factory. With the orchestra Aurora. An immersive experience, with electronic music in-between the symphony’s movements. With this entirely memorised performance, the orchestra is split into a dozen stages or so, perhaps more, and the audience is standing. Beethoven often takes your breath away but so does this amazing staging!

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Nov 9

Homage to Van Gogh in South London … and other things by Arturo Di Stefano. His first show with Art Space Gallery in Islington. Welcome back Arturo!

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Oct 26

Wow!! Stunning.Seen at IMAX Waterloo

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Oct 26

‘Mixing it up’, the Hayward Gallery’s current show, is strong and engaging.I went along, hoping there would be a few thought-provoking London paintings. This was a reasonable assumption since out of 31 artists represented, 23 lived and worked in London and 11 were actually born here. I found one! (Denzil Forrester). Does this apparent gap between artists and their environment really exist or is it the creation of the curator?1. Lubaina Himid.2. Lisa Brice.3. Kudzamai-Violet Hwami.4. Gareth Cadwallader.5. Matthew Krishanu.6-9 Denzil Forrester

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Oct 20

Charismatic rain … ‘It rains in my heartAs it rains on the town’.Paul Verlaine (1885)… And yes, Verlaine did come to London and it ended in tears, though this poem was not written in London.Pity, so appropriate …

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Oct 11

Amazing setting for Agatha Christie’s ‘Witness for the Prosecution’. Can you guess where? Overlooking the Thames …opposite Westminster?It’s the Council Chamber at County Hall. I thought the play would be predictable and a little old-fashioned but it was well-staged and very gripping!

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Oct 5

Inspiring lecture at the Barbican Centre last night - Peter Barber, architect, on what makes him and his team come up with humane and human-led solutions to alleviate the housing crisis. Championing joyful and attractive designs for housing society’s downtrodden: shelters for the homeless, and quirky accommodation for people reliant on council housing. The last picture shows him in conversation with Ellis Woodman, Director of the Architecture Foundation. The slide shows the firm’s ‘Village in a box’.

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Sep 17

Magical visit to Ben Johnson’s amazing house studio at St Peter’s Wharf, Hammersmith. Part of ‘Artists at Home’ 17-19 Sept, this weekend. Great paintings. Beautiful part of the World. Do go if you can!

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Sep 9

Sunny day on the South Bank … and the joy of the little children!

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Aug 24

Sampling street food at Lower Marsh, Waterloo (where I’m currently living in temporary accommodation).THAI HOUSE run by Andrey, unexpectedly from Turkey, with chef Nut, from Thailand. They have been there for five years (with a second stall in Victoria), from Monday to Friday.I had a small chicken Panang which was very tasty and really copious (£5.50). There are tables in the street and a small community garden nearby.

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Aug 21

The country on London’s doorstep … in fact at the end of the Metropolitan line. Amersham! There is a 20 mn walk to the incredibly picturesque Old Amersham where every other shop is an eatery. An embarrassment of riches!My friend took me to the (Michelin) Artichoke - very special, all delicious and beautiful looking. I came out with a spring in my step and marvelled at the fairy tale ‘Remembrance Garden’ nearby.

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