Category Archives: Art and architecture

Jul 05 2024
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Art and architecture, Daily Post

Back in Brighton

Thursday 4th July 2024, 10.05pm (day 4,697)

Brighton Pavillion, 4/7/24

Brighton still hangs on to its place in the top 10 of ‘Most Depicted Locations’ on this blog, but its rate of appearance has declined in recent years, for various reasons. I came for a couple of days in 2022, but that has been it since 2018. However, here we are, back again for the last burst of the summer holiday down South. The Pavilion was built by King George IV when he was Prince Regent, and really is one of the tackiest palaces anywhere on the planet, particularly inside. But nowadays it’s part of the fabric, and is one of those unique buildings that instantly identifies the location of a shot.

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Jul 03 2024
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Art and architecture, Daily Post, Flora/Fauna

In Carisbrooke Castle

Tuesday 2nd July 2024, 12.40pm (day 4,695)

In Carisbrooke Castle, 2/7/24

He’s just discovered running. Which means he’s discovering the pleasure of chasing things. The gull will tolerate it for now: revenge will come later, when the kid’s chips get stolen.

This cameo played out in the grounds of Carisbrooke Castle, in the centre of the Isle of Wight — worth a visit, if you want a recommendation. It was the place that Clare and I saw out much of our silver wedding anniversary: we were married on 2nd July 1999, and have made it this far, at least.

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Jun 19 2024
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Art and architecture, Daily Post

Cell block Chelsea, 20 floors up

Tuesday 18th June 2024, 12.25pm (day 4,681)

Cell block Chelsea, 18/6/25

I have nothing against the Chelsea Hotel in Toronto — if I had I would not have come back here to stay for another two weeks, on top of the time I spent here earlier in the year. But I would like to go home now, and instead, I ended up for various reasons obliged to spent almost the entire day locked in my room, working. This semi-abstract architectural shot — one wing’s worth of floors 14-27 I reckon –thereby epitomises the day. A photowhack too, meaning, the only shot taken today.

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Jun 18 2024
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Art and architecture, Daily Post, Urban scene

Another Toronto mural

Monday 17th June 2024, 5.25pm (day 4,680)

Church St mural, 17/6/24

I have mentioned before that there are many murals adorning the walls of buildings in Toronto, and this is at least the third to feature on here, mounting up at a rate of one per trip. I do hope this isn’t my last visit to the city — though we will see — should I return, though, there are plenty more to document yet.

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May 29 2024
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Art and architecture, Daily Post, Family Member, Portrait

Dundee diorama

Wednesday 29th May 2024, 11.40am (day 4,661)

Dundee diorama and Joe, 29/5/24

The first concealed round number of the day: today I am exactly 20,000 days old. When I first saw the Nick Cave documentary 20,000 Days on Earth (it’s very good and worth watching even if you have no idea who Nick Cave is) I naturally worked out when I would reach this milestone, and, well, it’s today. In my case 20,000 days works out at 54 years, 9 months and 3 days.

The second concealed round number is that this is the 100th blog pic to be taken in Scotland. This last week has seen the country overtake Norway in the all-time table to now stand third, behind only England and Australia. To mark this, let’s feature Joe, and behind him, Dundee — the juxtaposition of person and place being the principal reason that Scotland has kept up its healthy rate of appearance over the last three years (Dundee features on 24 of those 100 shots).

The diorama of Dundee was created by photographer Sohei Nishino, and is a remarkably good piece of work which gives a totally new perspective on the place and which one can lose oneself in: both characteristics of great art, if you ask me. And according to this article about it, it used 20,000 photos. Back to the first concealed round number we go. It must mean something.

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May 13 2024
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Art and architecture, Daily Post

Hudson Janisch’s memorial

Sunday 12th May 2024, 10.50am (day 4,644)

One wonders if the social and economic landscape of St Helena would be different had it been run more often in its history by St Helenians. In the centuries since it was formally colonised, only two of the many Governors have been born on the island, and it’s perhaps significant that one of these, Hudson Janisch gets himself by far the most impressive memorial of any Governor. On the lowest level of this three-tier stone (not pictured) is inscribed: “This monument is erected by the inhabitants to commemorate the high respect and esteem in which their late Governor was universally held.” As a memorial, that’s pretty good, I think.

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Apr 15 2024
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Art and architecture, Daily Post, Urban scene

At the Namibia Craft Centre

Saturday 13th April 2024, 2.10pm (day 4,615)

Craft centre art, 13/4/24

A weekend spent in Windhoek to transition to this new country (the 49th different one I have ever visited, incidentally). Had I known this was possibly the world’s most low-key capital city, particularly on a weekend, I might have replanned slightly, but I’m not complaining. The best lunches in town seemed to be available at the Namibia Craft Centre on Tal Street (recommendation…) and you can also look at some decent artwork, and buy some rails, if you really want.

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Mar 29 2024
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Art and architecture, Daily Post

Richard Cobden and St. Ann’s Church

Thursday 28th March 2024, 9.40am (day 4,599)

St Ann's Church, 28/3/24

In Manchester, but not my usual parts of the city, so a chance to bring some different views to the blog. The statue of the Dead White Male is of Richard Cobden, and until just now I had no idea who this person was so I have read up about him. It sounds as if he was something of a radical dude, campaigning for years for the repeal of the Corn Laws (which kept the price of bread artificially high and impoverished the masses for the benefit of a few rich landowners), free trade and pacifism. So, go Richard. St Ann’s Church, behind, is a rather noble building as well.

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Feb 04 2024
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Art and architecture, Daily Post, Urban scene

Mural on Jarvis Street

Saturday 3rd February 2024, 1.40pm (day 4,545)

Jarvis Street mural, 3/2/24

One thing I noticed when I was last in Toronto was that the city has some very good — and very large — murals. This one is on the corner of Jarvis and Carlton Streets. Yes, the telephone wires are a little annoying but this was my best effort at capturing it.

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Feb 02 2024
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Art and architecture, Daily Post

The CN Tower, attempt 1 (aborted)

Thursday 1st February 2024, 1.40pm (day 4,543)

CN Tower in cloud, 1/2/24

Not as exciting a photo as was planned for the day, and certainly a less extensive panorama, but the reasons for this can be gathered by inspection of the top of the picture. The observation decks of the CN Tower (still the tallest building in the world outside of Asia) were swathed in cloud, making the jaunt to the top, if not pointless, then rather less of an attraction than it might have been. But the woman on the gate did advise me that I could just reschedule my timed ticket for another day — which was very civilised of her (some major tourist attractions would have just said ‘tough shit, sucker, lump it’). So I shall return on Monday. And if it’s cloudy then?…. it will be what it will be.

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