CORBUSIER LIVES (IN RED BRICK )

One building has just gone up to the right of my view and another to the left has been demolished .

The one that has gone up is an art college, Kensington &Chelsea Art college. I like very much the fact that it resembles (in outline) the old Chelsea College of art that is no more here in Chelsea . It has the same vents (or whatever they are ) on its flat roof .

http://blogs.arts.ac.uk/chelsea/2010/11/26/farewell-manresa-road/

 I always thought the Art School building in Manresa Road to be very modern and stylish 
back in the day when Chelsea was very traditional and had very few if any modern buildings .There were of course a few squeezed in here and there between whitepainted and illustrious  semi-detatched houses .

The building that has been demolished is the Penguin Book Building ,to my immediate left. This was a landmark until it became a white elephant and has lain empty for the las ten years . Anyway that's gone now (and very quickly too ) all seven floors of it . It is to be rebuilt as social housing .
The building I live in was built originally as social housing . Local residents kicked up a right old fuss about it  as they felt it would lower the tone of the neighbourhood !
Residents here,some of  my neighbours, who csme here as social housing tennants but have since bought thier leases are not at all happy about the building next door becoming social housing , amazing really when you think that fifty years ago the entire block was a brewery ........You've got to laugh !Or you might weep at mans foolishness , greed vanity and selective memory .
Yes I have developed the art of just shaking my head and having a little laugh .
meanwhile here is the building I would like to see next door

( the Ashkalon Centre : Israel )

BIG BIRD BUILDS HOUSE

I’m growing rather fond of the big bird  on my block

I have become used to the fact that someone (an artist?)out there can see into my home.

I have also enjoyed immensely watching the Bauhaus type construction that is in progress .

It is ,as a whole, a very pleasing aesthetic experience of the urban variety.

The construction itself is so simple, it is a grid and a cube at that and that is rather pleasing in a rational sort of way and calls to mind Corbusier and Mondrian.

Here are some pictures of what I am priviledged to enjoy .



Combined with the crane it is reminiscent of Kandinsky and Klee

This sight (or should I say “site”) ticks quite few, aesthetic boxes for me.

I also love the way the concrete changes colour and when it first dried out to a white (bloom) it was quite spectacular and ticked a favourite aesthetic box for me.

Looking and seeing is such a joy and in the city we have to look quite hard for purity and essence of form.

 .

Ok so it is design  that Im seeing but  that crane driver is definitely an artist  .

Paul Klee

SANITY

I smiled all over recently when I was invited to a private view......in the out-patient waiting area of a mental health unit.

Art in health is often a rather diluted affair but this was brilliant ! It was alive and powerful creating a sense of relevance to the place that will affect those who enter and wait here ...

The fact that it is rather" wacky "work that is being so revered and hung in such a reverential way can only be a good thing too. It is bound to engage and give a sense of pride to anyone who feels their sanity is in doubt

The work was by the prominent architect Will Alsop and also on show was work done by him in collaboration with patients from the unit.

If you have never come across this guy before(thats one of the pieces in the show btw above ..mixed media on paper aprox 60cmx25cm)

then let me introduce you to him

• he sees no distinction between art and architecture

• believes that both begin in the same place

• is threatening to give up architecture in favour of painting full time (Im not sure he should do that)

• he has created some monumental buildings

• they are kind of like paintings (now that’s  a big step.. and a hop.. and a skip.. and a jump )
• he pulls it off !!!!
• he brightens up the world with his creative energetic play
• his work is controversial (I doubt Prince Charles rates him very highly.. although you never know........he liked Spike Milligan a lot and there is a resemblance)
• is a buddy of ‘80s artist luvy Bruce McClean (they paint together ,how very charming and unconventional)

Stephen Bayley said (affectionately) in the Observer
“Alsop has a ludic approach to building designs”


what a wonderful word “ludic”is and how often we misuse it in its protracted form i.e.” ludicrous”
Ludic means light and playful .......nothing ludicrous about that is there?


You can get a sense of his work and learn more about Will Alsop  here its a good place to start anyway
Enjoy the trip ... I know Will does and I do too! let me know if you do or not ..wont you xxx
an associated link to Wills painting buddy Bruce McLean  should old aquaintance be forgot !