Hunting Beauty

I journeyed to London to meet with an old school friend to embrace the freedom that beauty and art provoked. We both had similar paths as younger girls, adoring the fine arts and literature classes and sharing our 6th form experience together. We then both moved on to art foundations, her in Wycombe and me in London. We managed to still see each other every few months, meeting for coffees and going for walks in gardens, or the occasional trip to London to see some art and do girly yet intellectual things. She is currently studying Philosophy and History of Art at Kent, a course that sounds like an absolute dream. It is important for me to visit the art world once in a while, as I feel it is essential to the development of an artist no matter which medium one creates in.
So once all our work had been handed in for the summer, we met in South Kensington in the glorious sun to wonder a few exhibitions and embrace the end of our terms, and the end of my degree.
We walked to the Serpentine Gallery where we lay on the grass outside and caught up with our love lives and exchanged silly stories as always, and to hopefully soak up some sun on our previously house-bound skin.
The Marina Abramovic exhibition '512 Hours' was on and we were both intrigued to see what it was all about, so we both waited eagerly, unsure of what we would find inside. After leaving all belongings in a locker, surrounded by complete silence, we walked into a large white room where people we lying down, standing, holding hands, kneeling on the floor, doing whatever pose or gesture they felt like. We were both slightly confused. There seemed to be no purpose or theme to this performance work. We understood that it was about the audience participating and expressing what they needed to express. It is a piece of endurance work. You could stay as long as you wanted and be part of the art how ever you wanted to be. But we couldn't find Marina, which disappointed us. After walking around trying to find her we went back to the lockers, I by this point was certain she had gone for a bathroom break or a bit of fresh air. Suddenly Rhiannon whispered that she had seen her through the doors, and that perhaps I had been right about the bathroom break. Marina walked into the lockerroom and embraced someone not a metre from us, and we both sat in hushed excitement. At first sight, I understood Marina as a woman of power and grandeur. She was dressed simply in monochrome with her long dark characteristic braid down her back. She wore delicate black shoes and a loose white blouse matched with plain sharply cut trousers. Her body language was gentle but assertive and her aura held silence in the room. We watched her for a while until we decided it was quite long enough to stare and made our leave. I purchased a postcard at the gallery of an absurd piece of art which depicted a cabbage with dolls arms rolling on a floor of powder pink. It made me laugh and I felt a bizzare understanding of what ludicrous thoughts had come into the artists mind at its creation. A little souvenir.

We then moved on to the Saatchi Gallery, which has always been a fun and memorable experience. Though many pieces are very serious, there has always been a playful element to the work which my friend and I have embraced. I managed to get some fabulous photographs which I will gladly share.

The first room contained an infestation of large ants all over the walls which on closer examination resembled painted casts of human skulls. This was probably my favourite piece as it was very effective and consumed you as you walked into the room. I attempted a panoramic photo above, where you can see my friend in the foreground. Below is a photo of the corner that catches your eye as you first walk in the room.

I took a series of photographs of different bits of the exhibitions that I was attracted to. There was a lovely contrast throughout the gallery.

After the gallery we then took the tube to Portobello Road where we had a nice stroll and sat at a little cafe for a drink and to discuss our findings for the day before my friend and I parted ways. The air was warm and fresh and everything was beautiful. We separated on the tube and I carried on to Camden where I was to meet my close friend and future housemate Pippa at her office. She is a junior publicist for a PR company and is one if the most hardworking people you will ever meet. We have known each other for two years and bonded like soul mates on our first meeting. I watched her finish her reports as it was a Friday, and then she took me to the Brewdog bar not far from her office. This was just what we both needed as we were both exhausted from a long week and needed a pint, and this was our favourite beer. We stayed past our scheduled trains as we could just discuss future plans and ideas for hours without hesitation. Rather drunk with thoughts pouring from our brain, we spoke of business plans, music, fashion and all the things we love so much. This was a perfect end to a wonderful day, and I left for the train 2 hours later than planned filled with inspiration.