pumpkinstrokemarrow

Having heard of the chap but not knowing much more about him, we did just that, taking the precaution of buying tickets just in case. Perhaps an unnecessary precaution given that they were reduced to mail shots of this sort, but a drag to turn up to such a place to be invited to come back 3 hours later or the next day.

Also took the precaution of printing off some bumpf to read on the train, learning the important fact that it was a big exhibition occupying no less than 13 rooms. Which meant that, on arrival, I whizzed through all 13 rooms to orientate myself before settling down to a steadier progression through the life of Miró, the rooms being organised more or less chronologically. An arrangement I liked. Plus there was no nonsense about deeply meaningful & illuminating juxtaposition with 12th century crucifixes from Sienna, or any other curatorial fancy of that sort.

Paintings included some impressive stuff, with the strongest stuff, as one might expect, in the middle period. I find it took a little while to get into any one painting, but then it seemed to suck you in. The ones which really impressed me had the right balance between having enough content to interest, but not so much content that one could not project oneself onto the thing. This last bit, presumably, accounting for the sucking in. The constellations series qualified here. As did 'Nocturne' and 'Still Life with Old Shoe'.

At the very end of his life he started to move into Jack the Dripper territory. Quite good at it he was too. But here, to my mind, we are in the land of high end wall covering rather than high art.

Once again surprised by the poor quality of some of the reproductions in the catalogue. The reproduction of the picture called 'The rut', for example, seemed particularly feeble, certainly when the real thing was fresh in the mind. Perhaps it will not seem so feeble in the weeks and months ahead. A useful and reasonably priced aide-memoire nonetheless.

Good lunch at the 'Founders Arms' followed by tea & cakes at the outpost of http://www.konditorandcook.com/ to be found on Stamford Street. Excellent cakes, if a touch dear.

Back home, after a modicum of liquid refreshment, decided that the proper end to the evening was a touch of Art of Fugue on the organ (heard for real around March 15th 2009). Good stuff, but struck for the first time that one person playing four parts must be hard work. Got to keep four strands up and running in one brain box at one time. OK so the strands are all related, and maybe only two or three strands are really on the go at any one time, but still and all.

Notwithstanding, the notes accompanying the discs explained that the composer had taken great care to make the thing playable by one person. To keep the hand movements, feet movements and stretches within reasonable bounds. The inference being that it was intended that the thing should be played on an organ.