British Museum's Day of the Dead festival

 

This spectacular statue is part of the British Museum’s free festival to mark the Mexican Day of the Dead - a celebration that can be traced back to Aztec times. Traditionally, families gather to remember relatives and friends who have passed away. They build private altars and take gifts such as food, drinks and even sugar skulls to the graves. The museum event runs from October 30 to November 2, 2015 and includes art, performance, storytelling and talks, with a special Friday late night opening featuring Mexican food and drink. 

http://www.britishmuseum.org/whats_on/day_of_the_dead.aspx

Ai Weiwei's Tree installation at the Royal Academy

As part of a major exhibition at the Royal Academy by the Chinese artist Ai Weiwei, the front courtyard has been transformed into a grove of trees. The overall effect is stunning, and hugely popular with passers-by as well gallery visitors. The structures are made from sections of dead trees collected on the mountains of southern China. These were pieced together at Ai’s studio in Beijing to create the eight ‘complete’ trees on show. They’ve been interpreted as a commentary on the way diverse people have been brought together to form ‘One China’.

This marble couch in the grove is a reference to the Ming dynasty vogue for creating everyday objects from luxurious materials. While these served no practical purpose, they emphasised the wealth of the rulers of Imperial China. Some visitors were trying it out, but didn't stay there for very long - not the most comfortable seat around!

A picture of Ai Weiwei looks down on the statue of Academy's founder, Sir Joshua Reynolds, that usually dominates the courtyard. I couldn't help wondering what he would have made of it all.

Viewing the trees is free, but there is a charge for the rest of the exhibition, which is continues until December 3, 2015.

https://www.royalacademy.org.uk/

'Baron' Terry Pratchett to be auctioned

An almost life-sized fibreglass sculpture with the face of Sir Terry Pratchett is to be auctioned at Salisbury Cathedral tomorrow evening (October 1). It’s one of 25 statues of medieval barons, created to mark the 800^th anniversary of the Magna Carta, which have been on display around the city since June.

The Discworld author died in March following a public struggle with Alzheimer’s disease.

Illustrator and long-time Discworld collaborator Paul Kidby wanted his figure to be a tribute to the author. It has a shield with Discworld on it, a helmet with a Discworld motto, and a cloak made up of about 70 of Pratchett’s most famous characters.

The statues of the Barons’ Charter Trail were reunited outside the Cathedral prior to the auction. (The Cathedral is home to the best-preserved of the four surviving copies of the Magna Carta.)

Among the figures is a Stonehenge Winter Solstice Druid Baron (above), created by New Zealand artist Mandii Pope. She says she wanted to keep her design local, and has been fascinated by pagan history and Stonehenge for years.

Others in the collection include (from left) a Magna Carta 800 Baron, a Quintessentially British Baron,  an Astro Baron, and even a Hello Kitty one (5th from left). The Conceptual Baron (below) stands in front of the Walking Madonna statue by Dame Elizabeth Frink, part of the Cathedral's permanent collection of contemporary artworks.

The money raised by the auction will go to the Trussell Trust, a charity that provides emergency food and support to people in difficulties. 

 

http://www.thebaronscharter.org.uk/

Footnote (2.10.15)
Baron Discworld raised the most money - £5000. Of the others pictured above, Quintessentially British fetched £2,600, the Winter Solstice Druid and Astro Baron both went for £2,500,  the Magna Carta 800 Baron for £2,100, and Hello Kitty for £1,300. A highly sucessful event!

Rare Victorian pillar box

If you ever wondered why a post box is sometimes called a pillar box, take a walk along Eton High St in Berkshire. There, next to a black and white half-timbered building that dates back at least to 1465, stands a slender Victorian letter box, fluted to look like a Doric column or pillar. This 1856 design was installed just a few years after postage stamps were introduced and is very rare - only a handful have survived. Decorated with the initials of Queen Victoria, it has a vertical slot and is still in use. (Apparently early boxes were painted green to blend in, but people kept walking into them.)

Venice's Festival of the Redeemer

Venice is famous for its carnival and festivals, but the oldest continually celebrated date in the Venetian calendar is the Festa del Redentore - the Feast of the Holy Redeemer - held annually on the third weekend of July.

The festival began in the 16^th century, to mark the end of the terrible plague of 1576, which killed 50,000 people, including the great painter Titian. As a gesture of thanksgiving, the Doge commissioned the architect Palladio to build a church on the Giudecca island. It was consecrated in 1692 and so that the Doge could walk there in procession, a temporary bridge across the canal was made of barges. 

This bridge-building tradition continues today. For several days before the festival, the pontoons are moved into place, and by Friday (above), thousands of people are able to stream across it to the church.

At the same time, hundreds of little craft, often decorated, make their way along the Giudecca canal. By dusk, it is packed with vessels of all kinds, their occupants feasting and celebrating. You can barely glimpse the water between them.

Revellers without a boat pack the rooftops, balconies and pavements overlooking the canal – many enjoying elaborate banquets laid out on picnic tables. Everyone is in holiday mood.

At 2330 comes the moment everyone has been waiting for: fireworks, set off from nearby pontoons, light up the sky. This year they continued for 45 spectacular minutes.

As the boats begin to depart,  many people end their evening by going to the Lido, where they sit on the sand and wait for the dawn. For everyone, it's magical end to an unforgettable occasion.