Thursday 15 September 2011

Of Art and Life

David Mach - Precious Light: a celebration of the King James Bible 1611-2011



"We adore you O Christ and we bless you, 
because by your Holy Cross you have redeemed the world"


"Golgotha" by David Mach (City Art Centre Edinburgh)

Let's ignore Holy Cross Day (and why not? - the Primus, the Bishop of Moray and the Dean of Edinburgh did tonight at the Electoral Synod Mass, which was in GREEN!!!!) and reflect on a little art.  There are 2 excellent exhibitions on at the moment in Embra.  The Elizabeth Blackadder show  http://www.nationalgalleries.org/whatson/exhibition/5:368/19938/21215 at the National Gallery on the Mound is good, with great botanical paintings and cats - her drawings from Italy are superb examples of draughtpersonship!  The Japanese stuff isn't really my scene, but the wee films on the loop about her with her own comments are delightful.  She may be a DBE and Queen Betty's painter in Scotland, but she comes over as a perfectly nice normal Edinburgh wifie (who is nonetheless a Falkirk Bairn!).  The David Mach exhibition in the City Art Centre  http://www.edinburghmuseums.org.uk/Venues/City-Art-Centre/Exhibitions/Current-Exhibitions inspired by the 400th Anniversary of the King James Bible is genuinely stunning (and I say this as someone who really doesn't like a lot of modern art).  The centre piece "Golgotha" is a stunning giant crucifixion made out of wire coat hangers and army surplus tank traps.  The powerful "Die Harder" which was 1st shown in Gloucester Cathedral is very powerful too.  T'is a pity such talent hails from Methil (wee local intra-Fife dig there!) but it is well worth the seeing before it closes on 16th October.  And the Fish Pie in the Cafe was very good indeed!

On the life front Rachel and I were haunting these exhibitions and wander the streets when we spotted the Jungle sculptures currently littering the streets of this nations capital.  Wee versions were on sale in Harvey Nicks, so for the 1st time in my life I entered that Temple of over-priced self indulgence to look at them.  Aye, we might buy one in due course, but I left reflecting how old fogey I am, as I infinitely prefer Jenner's in Edinburgh (well, they lost the tea room but at least replaced it Valvona and Crolla - the baked cheesecake is superb) and Fortnum and Mason's in London for over priced self indulgence (F&M's Welsh Rarebit is to die for)!  Rachel also recommends Liberty's in London!  (Harrods is a tad under classy under Al Fayed IMHO!)

As to the Synod - all hush-hush, but we ain't got any candidates at this stage so that's all it can be!

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