November 20, 2009 by ingrid
A local author opts to publish his own book – London Babylon – and in this two-part article he’s still trying to figure out why.
Jagger and Chrissie Shrimpton at David Bailey’s wedding
Why do it? Why would anyone write books? Why not just pay someone to beat you up and rob you? It would be the same net effect but you could get the pain all over with in one go. It’s the long drawn out sense of expectation that destroys you. As John Cleese remarked in Clockwise, “It’s not the despair, Laura. I can take the despair. It’s the hope I can’t stand.”
When I met up with the publishers of my first book, Guns, Cash and Rock ‘n’ Roll, for contract signing and drinks in the Groucho club I thought I’d made it; oh the glamour. Looking around, I spotted Keith Allen heading towards the bogs and thought, Continue Reading »
Posted in Books & Poetry, Christmas Present Ideas, Culture, South London People | Tagged Rolling Stones, Steve Overbury, Beatles, Mick Jagger, Chrissie Shrimpton, David Bailey, London Babylon | Leave a Comment »
November 20, 2009 by ingrid
Frances Barrett, leader of the violas in the Dulwich Symphony Orchestra writes…
“I’m out playing music two or three nights a week these days. It all started when I joined the Dulwich Symphony Orchestra several years ago. My viola had been languishing in a corner for a couple of years – well, I’d had no reason to get it out – but a friend who played violin asked me along and that was it – Tuesday night became DSO night.
It’s not just the music I enjoy, Continue Reading »
Posted in Culture, Events, Music | Tagged Dulwich Symphony Orchestra, live music | Leave a Comment »
November 17, 2009 by ingrid
Last night was quite an evening. GalleryFilm showed the Satyajit Ray film Pather Panchali. It is a beautiful, slow film about life (in particular, 5 lives) in a Bengali village in the 50s with the music of Ravi Shanker.
But GalleryFilm evenings arent only about films. It is a sociable club as well. Take a look at the slide show for a flavour (12 slides). These gorgeous photos were taken by photographer Lorenzo Ali for DOV.
There was free food and drink supplied by Ganapati, South Indian Kitchen, Peckham, DVD and book sales, a free raffle (prize, Ganapati recipe cards) and lots of socialising.
But best of all, Andrew Robinson, friend and biographer of Satyajit Ray, came to introduce the film and give us a Q&A afterwards. He was hugely knowledgable and very articulate. What a treat!
No wonder it was a sell out.
Posted in Culture, Events, Film, Photographs, South London People | Tagged Andrew Robinson, GalleryFilm, Ganapati, Pather Panchali | Leave a Comment »
November 17, 2009 by annadibrina
Eric Gill, A Roland for an Oliver / Joie de Vivre, 1910
Three young artists revolutionized the history of western sculpture, just before the First World War. Their works stand out as both forceful and poignant in this new exhibition at the Royal Academy of Art.
You can hear what Royal Academy Senior Lecturer Graham Greenfield has to say on 26 November at Dulwich Picture Gallery
by Anna Maria Di Brina
I step out of the stunning exhibition “Wild Thing” on avant-guard sculptors Jacob Epstein, Henri Gaudier-Brzeska and Eric Gill at the Royal Academy with a strong feeling of ambivalence.
I feel deeply heavy-hearted and, all the same, gratefully uplifted. My endorsed belief in creativity capable of mightily changing life evenly matches a profound sense of frailty and powerlessness of the human condition.
What is this all about? Continue Reading »
Posted in Art & Design, Culture, Dulwich Picture Gallery, Events | Tagged Art, Dulwich Picture Gallery, Eric Gill, First World War, gallery talks, Henri Gaudier-Brzeska, Jacob Epstein, Royal Academy of Art, sculpture, Vorticism, Wild Thing | 1 Comment »
November 13, 2009 by sallyannjohnson
Crystal Palace on fire 1936 (image courtesy of Crystal Palace Museum)
The 30th of this month – November – is the anniversary of the Crystal Palace being destroyed by fire in 1936.
From construction to destruction, the history of this vast glass and iron structure is kept alive in The Crystal Palace Museum located off Anerley Hill, London SE19.
Fittingly housed in the only remaining building from the original Victorian site, this quaint treasure of a museum perfectly captures the mood and era of the Great Exhibition. And the 82 years that the Palace stood at Sydenham.
Here’s a flavour of some of the exhibits: a cross-section plan of the Great Exhibition building, pictures of the art directors and Henry Cole, thought to have had the idea for an international exhibition, pictures of Continue Reading »
Posted in Culture, Events, Exhibitions, What's On | Tagged Crystal Palace, Dulwich College, exhibition, South London | 3 Comments »
November 13, 2009 by ingrid
Martin Aveling’s prints are utterly beautiful. His actual pastels are even more astonishing.
Martin Aveling - Eurasian Eagle Owl
Martin has just released a series of Limited Edition Fine Art Prints Here are just two of them, but click on the images to see more and to perhaps buy for a really stunning Christmas present.
Not surprisingly Martin is a rising star in the field of animal portraiture and a regular feature on the London wildlife art scene, having exhibited with the Society of Wildlife Artists and at the David Shepherd Foundation’s Wildlife Artist of the Year event.
He is also offering animal portraits through Harrods but DOV readers can go straight to him for commissions! What an unusual idea for a Christmas present. Continue Reading »
Posted in Art & Design, Christmas Present Ideas, New work - Exclusives, South London People | Tagged commissions, Limited edition prints, Martin Aveling, pastels, wildlife | Leave a Comment »
November 10, 2009 by bellabeck
Ellie and Rosie established a ‘pop up diner’ in their flat above the market in the heart of Brixton earlier this year. Jokingly referred to as the Salad Club the monthly Saturday night underground restaurant serves delicious four course meals in their front room.
Ellie chatting to guests
Eager to go underground and experience Pop Up dining for ourselves four of us booked online a couple of month’s in advance (such is the Salad Club’s popularity), we received details about the menu and venue by email the day before and set off on a culinary adventure.
Curious about how Salad Club started I interviewed Ellie the following week:
So how did the idea of Salad Club come about?
Rosie and I have always cooked for each other since we met at university – Continue Reading »
Posted in Culture, Events, Food & Drink | Tagged Salad Club | Leave a Comment »
