Art – Page 4 – Symbols & Secrets

Giacometti Encounters Mona Hatoum at the Barbican (and me at Daunt Books and the Guildhall Gallery!)

On 11th September 2025

Mona Hatoum and Alberto Giacometti have been paired in the second of a series of exhibitions at the Barbican presenting the work of the sculptural luminary alongside that of 21st-century artists. You get a first glimpse of what’s in store as you cross Gilbert Bridge and see Hatoum’s Hot Spot glowing across the gap between the Barbican’s iconic concrete pillars …

Three of Hatoum’s works are on display in the foyer outside the library and the exhibition itself. Jonathan Jones writes in his Guardian review: ‘Mona Hatoum’s show begins with an indelible afterimage of modern war. Into a stack of welded steel boxes resembling an apartment block in a city that could be anywhere, Hatoum has melted or blasted holes imitating drone or missile strikes. Parts of interior walls and floors have been shorn away to look like apartments with their fronts blown off. This is the shell of what was once a home to many, emptied out by war, like the buildings you saw on the news last night’.

It’s called Bourj, which means ‘tower’ in Arabic …

In this blog I am just going to show some of the images I took when I visited the exhibition along with their title. I am not exaggerating when I say that this is the most disconcerting and thought-provoking experience I have ever had at a Barbican event – strongly recommended.

I suggest you read the review by Jonathan Jones before you look at my pictures since it will provide a very useful perspective. You will find the full article here. I also enjoyed reading this interview with the artist in The Observer.

Hatoum: Remains of the Day, 2016-18 …

Giacometti: Woman with Her Throat Cut, 1932 …

Giacometti: The Cage, 1950-51 …

Hatoum: Cube, 2006 …

Giacometti: The Nose, 1947 …

Hatoum: A Bigger Splash, 2009 …

Hatoum: Round and Round, 2007 …

Giacometti: Four Figurines on a Pedestal, 1950 …

Giacometti: The Cat, 1951 …

Hatoum: Incommunicado, 1993 …

Hatoum: Interior Landscape, 2008 …

Hatoum: 4 Rugs (made in Egypt), 1998-2015 …

Hatoum: Divide, 2025 …

Hatoum: Hot Spot (stand), 2018 …

I liked this reflection …

Various other items on display …

Hatoum: Over my dead body, 1988 …

There is an excellent free guide to go with the exhibition …

I’m pleased to say that the lovely people at Daunt Books Cheapside are still supporting me by displaying my book in the much-favoured position right beside the till …

Do visit if you’re searching for books to read now the evenings are closing in. The best and friendliest bookshop in the City …

The Guildhall Art Gallery sometimes describes itself as ‘The City’s best kept secret’ and this often seems to be the case when I visit. Free entry, a wonderful collection of pictures, free tours every day, and a Roman Amphitheatre for good measure – and often very few visitors. At the moment it’s hosting a superb exhibition of work by artist Evelyn De Morgan which I wrote about in my April Blog. I have also previously written about some of my favourite London scenes that are on display there.

It has a splendid little shop with some excellent books on sale …

And, of course, you can also buy my book at Daunt Books online.

If you would like to follow me on Instagram here is the link …

https://www.instagram.com/london_city_gent

Alison Aye and Kemi Athene Pennicott at the Barbican Library.

By The City Gent

On 14th August 2025

In Art, Sculpture, Social History, Special Exhibitions

Once again I’m back at the Barbican Library for an extraordinary exhibition with very different but fascinating themes.

Alison Aye’s first work, entitled Exile Textiles, was started 31st March 2020 and finished on 29th September that year. It illustrates a horrendous period of her life as she cared for her mother, who had terminal cancer, and her father who suffered a stroke. She also lost her job during this period which, of course, coincided with the Covid lockdown. Also included are later pieces from Exile Textiles II: The New Normal and Exile Textile III: The Prequel.

Before you glance at my images I urge you to have a look at Alison’s blog which explains the works in more detail. I promise you it’s not all doom and gloom – it’s very funny in places. For example, do you remember YOU HAVE NO AUTHORITY HERE JACKIE WEAVER! Or Barbara Windsor as Peggy Mitchell yelling ‘Get outta my pub!’ Or Dominic Cummings allegedly calling Carrie Symonds, now Mrs Johnson, ‘Princess Nut Nuts’. I certainly do – and they are all referenced here.

Here is Alison’s blog, it’s entitled EXILE TEXTILES AN EXPLANATION

Alison has the following to say about the other work on display, Civilisation:

‘In ‘Civilisation’, I’m questioning the bias of my early art education, which came mainly from Lord-Sir-Baron-Kenneth-Clark, born into a wealthy ‘textiles family’, and his popular television BBC programme/book, ‘Civilisation’. I’ve made stitched collages from said book (published by BBC/John Murray, this edition 1971), combined with discarded gallery (mainly Tate) magazines. Lord-Sir-Baron-Kenneth omitted female artists from his account, which is what started me off on these collages, but as the project progressed I have annoyingly fallen in love with the snobby bastard. I don’t agree with what he is saying a lot of the time, but his style of writing is superb and an utter joy to read.’

Images from Civilisation:

Alison’s history of Royal Academy submissions …

She finally made it into the Royal Academy Summer Show last year after 31 attempts …

The winning work (not on display at the Library) …

You can read more here.

Sharing the Library space with Alison is Kemi Athene Pennicott …

The Library exhibition runs until 28 August.

If you would like to follow me on Instagram here is the link …

https://www.instagram.com/london_city_gent

Daft pigeons, Queen Victoria’s waiting room and other miscellany.

By The City Gent

On 31st July 2025

In Animals, Architecture, Art, Religion, Sculpture

As regular readers will know, every now and then I can’t find a theme that will support an entire blog and, in such cases, I just raid my image archive and see what I come up with. This is one of those days.

I walk across Gilbert Bridge almost every morning and in mid-June I noticed this pigeon squeezing itself into a corner by a pillar …

At first I thought it was unwell, but then a few days later I noticed it had a companion …

Then, over the next few weeks, they both started appearing with twigs in their beaks …

I cannot claim to be an authority on nest building (or pigeons, for that matter) but I didn’t think that location was viable and, sadly, one month later no progress had been made …

And, frankly, there was barely room for the two of them never mind a nest as well …

It was also obviously looking a tad unhygenic, but I don’t think that tends to bother pigeons.

Now they seem to have abandoned their efforts but obviously I will report back if they return. Pigeons get a very bad press, which I think is rather unfair. If you want to know more about them (and some of their gallant ancestors) click here for my blog ‘What do pigeons do all day?’

One day I found this little poem by Terry Ryan pinned up alongside a church door:

Every time I pass church
I stop and make a visit
So when I’m carried in feet first
God won’t say, “Who is it?”

Wherever we travel I head for churches and churchyards at the earliest opportunity and am usually rewarded with interesting sights. In Italian churches, it’s common to see votive limbs (or other body parts) particularly in the form of metal or wax replicas. They are placed there to express gratitude or to seek divine healing for specific ailments. I came across these in a church in Sorrento, I think they are rather beautiful …

Nearby were some extraordinarily detailed representations of the Nativity …

They were accompanied by scenes of people going about their normal business (plus some hovering angels) …

Not sure what this represents – probably a religious festival …

I think it’s so lovely in Italy when forthcoming funerals are announced on notice boards along with some details about the person …

Back in the UK, the Wedding Routemaster parked up behind St Lawrence Jewry …

The King’s Birthday flypast …

At St Giles Cripplegate, John Milton meets a double bass travelling case …

The Honourable Artillery Company on their way to provide a gun salute for President Macron’s State Visit …

A surprise in St Mary’s Church, Tenby, the man who invented the equals sign =

Nearby in St Nicholas’ Chapel is the tomb of Margaret Mercer, wife of Thomas ap Rees of Scotsborough. Margaret died in childbirth in 1610 at the age of 30, having already borne ten children. The seven children who survived her are shown beneath her effigy, while above her is a likeness of her husband in a kneeling pose. The memorial is beautifully restored and repainted to emulate its original richly decorated appearance …

I really like authentic, handwritten signage …

Here’s what it refers to …

On our way to Tenby I stopped by one of my very favourite War memorials. It’s on Platform 1 at Paddington Station …

The memorial consists of a bronze statue of a soldier, dressed in heavy winter clothing, reading a letter from home. One commentator imagined that the home-knitted scarf may have been a gift from his mother or sweetheart and I can’t help but agree. The sculptor was Charles Sargeant Jagger (1885–1934) and you can read more about the background to the sculpture here.

Since we were treating ourselves to a first class ticket we could use the Paddington lounge and it’s well worth a visit. Alongside the modern area is what was once Queen Victoria’s private waiting room …

Some of the original wall decoration remains …

There are also other items of rail memorabilia …

I believe the furnishings aspire to suggest ‘Gentlemen’s Club’!

The lounge is also on Platform 1 and is tucked away behind the memorial.

This summer, the Barbican has invited audiences to step into Feel the Sound, a new multi-sensory immersive exhibition that transforms how we think about sound. ‘Taking place across the Centre, visitors can explore how sound shapes emotions, memories, and even physical sensations. Feel the Sound challenges us to listen not just with our ears, but with our whole bodies – redefining what we hear, how we feel, and what we think we know about ourselves’.

For example, there is this display as you walk through the Centre at ground level …