To Boldly Blog

Took a walk through Leicester Square tonight to go to the theatre (The Woman In Black). Brilliant, but that can be another post. Was caught up in the Star Trek premiere which you can read about here. I saw Simon Pegg and some woman from the film, whose name I've forgotten since checking on the IMDB. Keiko apparently saw Eric Bana but didn't realise. She was more excited about seeing a guy that was on the same train as her into Piccadilly. At least he was famous to her!

This is my 900th post. [Insert corny Star Trek related pun about the future here.]

Nothing's Ever Straightforward

Trafalgar Square

It's not the same without the pigeons, although I'll give it credit for being much much cleaner.


If you ever want a laugh (and some mild panic from the chance that someone will fall and break their leg - it's a long way down!), watch a Japanese girl shimmy her way up the plinth and onto a lion. Oh, and losing her top when she's up there...


Just like Narnia.

A Brothel Of Sparrows

I'm not sure what the real collective name is for the birds, but I'm pretty sure it wasn't this in the 1800s, whatever the following artist may have believed. Roz and Michael kindly took Keiko and me to The Royal Academy (between Green Park and Piccadilly Circus) for a Japanese artist's exhibition.

Utagawa Kuniyoshi (1797-1861) was one of the great woodblock print and painters, alongside the more famous Hokusai and Hiroshige (the former being the creator of my favourite "Great Wave at Kamakura" print). However, whilst these two stuck to the more traditional nature and portrait types, Kuniyoshi took the alternative route.

Some of his work is pretty naturalistic and doesn't seem out of place but the others are so abstract and crazy and ahead of his time, such as this montage of humans:


The artist was famous for his triptych style - the use of three woodblocks to create one canvas. I don't think this has the religious sentiment that triptychs found in churches (e.g. the Holy Trinity) were purposely designed for. Instead, because the woodblocks were constrained by size, Kuniyoshi used three at a time to create a larger scene. Usually he featured a central character or object on each block with a grand design linking them together. Most of the time, they even matched up perfectly - a pretty incredible feat considering the intricacy of carving. Also consider that thin lines, such as hair would've been individual carvings.


This is one of my favourites for its sheer bravery; by omitting everything from the middle block entirely, it shows the waterfall's real scale.


The triptych also allowed to show the size of this whale:


Kuniyoshi was also fond of cats and, although the exhibition didn't feature many, there are a lot on the web. One that was hung on the wall was amusingly entitled "Ouch, That Hurts".


A really incredible exhibition, especially considering that only 150 of his 100s of prints were shown. I have no idea - except for the definite need for assistants - how he was able to achieve so many.

One thing's for sure, he must've had some seriously messed up nightmares!


(By the way, I can't find "A Brothel of Sparrows" online but I'll keep looking.)

At A Crossroads

The big news today is that the main Oxford Street junction is going to have a £5 million upheaval based on the Hachiko crossroad in Shibuya, Tokyo. Instead of the four straight crosses, the area will be less cluttered with barricades and will also allow for diagonal crossings. The full story is here.


I like the idea in theory but where the Japanese can all circle eachother bump-free, can you imagine the chaos of tourists not looking where they're going, stopping without warning and general rudeness?

Perhaps it'll become a popular spot for people-watching.

I Am Blogger, Hear Me Roar (Soon)

Had a brilliant jam-packed weekend, including a visit to Trafalgar Square. I'm down in Bournemouth from Wednesday for a week so there'll be more time to attend to my site.

Like Water Off A Duck's Back

Or something like that anyway:


There seems to be something in the water in Hyde Park - the birds are acting strange. They're fearless, perhaps they know of a rebel uprising against humans and this is the first wave. We tried to eat some sandwiches by the pond and commented how the smaller birds had no chance against the geese and swans. Suddenly one swooped up and took the sandwich out of Keiko's hand! This is the little fella. Notice the egg and cress-covered beak.


Then there were the pigeons who took a shining to the bread we fed the squirrels near the Albert Memorial. They stalked us the whole way down the path, stopping and acting oblivious when we turned around.


And it's not just the birds rebelling against humans. Some are fighting for their own individuality; spot the odd one out: