What we've been up to thus far...
Tate Modern ->


At the tate Modern... Look at the ample space. The Tate Modern from the outside is the most hideous looking building ever! Apparently it used to be a power station. It reminded me more of a prision but it sure was fun inside!













At the Borough Markets having a roast pork sandwich for lunch.
Brought Marty to Monmouth for proper coffee. Fang Fang recommended it but I think Marty and Aussie mates think the coffee is just ok... :
I mean, I can see why they'd think so... the standards in Australia are so much higher I suppose. I'm beginning to forget what good coffee tastes like :( Anyway, who should i see there but Singapore's very own steven lim serving up coffee at Monmouth. I was like OMIGOD when I hear this Singaporean accent describing the various coffees served at Monmouth. Instinctively turned my head to check out the fellow countryman and my jar dropped when I realised it was our local 'celebrity'/actor. I put celebrity in inverted commas because, as I tried to explain to Marty, Singaporeans do not idolise actors. Anyway, I insisted that Marty sneak a shot of him just so i can post his pic on my blog and tell the world he's serving coffee at the Borough. Far out!

The Fake Globe Theatre!! It's good enough for me knowing that the grounds used to hold the real Globe theatre. Somehow, a rebuilt version of the original isn't as appealing

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Went to the National Art Gallery with Marty Friday afternoon. Entrance to the national arts gallery is free and this gallery holds works of artists from between 1200s to 1700s.

A brochure available at the front desk will inform you of the various highlights exhibited at the gallery. One of which was a painting by Hans Holbein (German renaissance artist) - The Ambassadors - which was incredible.

Looking at the painting, you will realise that a skull is painted at the bottom of the painting using a technique known as anamorphosis, such that when viewed from the right, the skull now becomes less distorted. Give it a shot! It's cool!

Up close and personal, one has to admire how much skill it took for the artist to paint the furs on the fur coat, the mosaic tiles on the ground, the damask drapes, the inscriptions on the dagger, the details on the globes, all of which obviously isn't visible from the picture I have uploaded but take my word for it, it is amazing!

There were other fantastic artists as well but we didn't finish touring the art gallery. I've decided that the artists in the period of 1200 to 1500 were all talented but had little originality. They all painted the same religious themes and used similar techniques. In a way, it was a pity they were all housed in the same gallery because it negated their skills by emphasizing their lack of uniqueness. I meam, there's only so many different ways you will want to see how Jesus or Mary can be depicted in a painting. Plus the tone of the pictures were always sombre and sometimes even reprimanding.

By the time we were nearing the end of the 1200s to 1500s gallery and about to move on to the 1600s to 1800s, I was over it. It was too depressing. I decided to leave the rest of the art gallery to another day even though I think the paintings then would have been a lot more lighthearted what with Monet, Van gogh and Renior.

And then on Saturday, Marty and I went to the Tate Modern.

I have decided that even though i greatly admire the skills of the artists featured in the National Art Gallery, I still prefer modern art. Had so much more fun at the Tate Modern.

I saw my first Dali painting and was quite proud of myself for recognising his style even before reading the little description card at the side. And there weren't even any melting clocks!

Finally understand why Marcus was a great admirer of Dali. The picture books definitely do him no justice at all but I guess the same could be said for any other artist. After yesterday, he has found a fan in me.

Other interesting art we saw was a urinal titled Fountain by Marcel Duchamp whose idea it was to de-deify the artist. The original for this is now lost but Duchamp commissioned several reproductions of the same piece. Pierre Pinoncelli apparently attacked two of the copies with his own piece and claiming in his defense said Duchamp would have appreciated his performance art! Hah!

Will definitely be going back again soon!