Squeezing through nudes and angered by Sycamore Gap vandalism

Marina Abramović - a stark exhibition

You might not have heard of her, but Serbian performance artist Marina Abramović knows how to make an entrance, quite literally. The Royal Academy of Arts in London is presenting the first major solo survey of her works in the UK until January.

I have been to countless exhibitions with my group but never have we had to squeeze through two nudes to get in.

I read that Abramović is ‘a pioneer in using the live body in her work’ which may be the understatement of the century. I have been to countless exhibitions with my group but never have we had to squeeze through two nudes to get in. Don’t go back, you read that sentence correctly the first time.

There is a ‘cheat’ entrance but where’s the fun in that? Breathe in, don’t tread on any toes, and keep your hands in your pockets. The exhibition has received mixed reviews, but how do you top that for a first impression?

Sycamore Gap is irreplaceable 

We are fortunate to have a number of iconic sights in this country, the type you see on fridge magnets, post cards, brochure covers and screen savers. One of my favourites was the Sycamore Gap to be found along Hadrian’s Wall in Northumberland.

The tree was a cherished landmark, a perfect backdrop for many photographers and even a well-known location in that Robin Hood film with Kevin Costner (the one where the outlaw had a strong Californian accent). So there has been understandable anger and sadness following a disgraceful act of vandalism. It was found cut down in September, damaging some of the famous wall and shocking locals and tourists. Who would do such a thing? It was likened to losing landmarks such as the Tyne Bridge but it’s worse because it’s truly irreplaceable.

The anger and unsettling feeling that came over me on hearing the news was extreme. There are theories and there are the accused, but the main thing that comes out of this for me is: we must protect natural landmarks of such importance in any way we can.

RAAC saga

I hadn’t heard of RAAC until recently, probably much like yourself. But reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete has been causing havoc, with safety concerns for a huge number of public buildings. Most worrying has been the impact on schools and hospitals but even the tourism and entertainment industries have been affected.

A number of theatres have had to temporarily shut their doors after councils across the country rushed to survey sites. Why it took crumbling concrete to kick-start all this beggars belief. As usual, the ‘powers that be’ have kicked the can down the road until we have a serious issue.

Having to reschedule a tour or performance is one thing, but having classrooms replaced with temporary marquees or school buildings being closed is quite another. At least we know the issue is now being addressed after it made the front pages. That’s reassuring in one sense and scandalous in another. They don’t make them like they used to. And thank goodness for that.