Special collection exhibition of Mr Dedman's Victory Suit.

The Booklet.

I went up to special collections at the University for enquiry and much to my delight I came across this exhibition:  Mr Dedman's Victory suit: Intimate stories of make do and mend.
What a delightful exhibition this is. I would most certainly recommend the textile students to go and have a look. It's about World War II in England and also the clothes rationing in Australia.

The back of the booklet.

Crochet.

A crochet shawl.

War time Journals on show.

Patterns.

Television installations. 

Posters

Panties and stockings.

Dress patterns

Another of the exhibits.

This is small selection of the exhibition. There is a  darning basket belonging to Beatrice (1935-1945)  skirt made from patchwork squares maker unknown. Handbag covered with small felt flowers. Apron made of patchwork hexagons with a flowered waistband, again maker unknown. And utility stockings these are fascinating to look at and they still have the utility mark stamped on the foot in black. There are many other objects to see and it gives you a glimpse into the women's life during the world War II.

Mark Nelson at the Storey Gallery

I was invited to the Storey Gallery for a exhibition opening " A Northern View" by Mark Nelson a urban artist.

 The decoration inside the Storey Gallery.

 This is another image from the stairs leading to the main gallery.

 Photograph of Mark Nelson's  pictures hanging in the gallery.

 This is one of the many paintings in the exhibition.

One his many portrait/ caricature face paintings.

 I've not heard of Mark Nelson before, so I was quite intrigued, and went to see his work. His work was very much of the samey with the towns and landscapes. Some of the paintings were of actual places of Lancaster and surrounding areas, others of Liverpool, Ribble Valley but some of them were a figment of his imagination. The face paintings were something different, not like real people more of caricature image I think some were actual people as the paintings had a name!  The pictures were very vibrant and I can see they will be good, commercial art. I personally wouldn't want one hanging on my wall, but that's is my opinion. I did notice there was a younger element of non artists at the opening and hardly any of the Lancaster artists who usually attend these exhibitions openings !

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As I was getting ready to leave the Storey Gallery I noticed an exhibition of  contemporary digital art by Neil Eckersley entitled " City skyscrapers and Feelings of the Soul". Contemporary digital artwork on  his iPad.

 New York skyscrapers.

 I thought these digital works were very playful and quite liked them. I know a few people that do digital art on their iPads. My partner he uses his iPad to draw local musicians playing their instruments in the Lancaster area. Of course, it was David Hockney who first made digital art created on the iPad respectable and not something just to doodle on.

 The Storey Gallery is a hub of activity where local artist's work is shown.
The tourist information is situated in the same building. Also there is a
very nice cafe and restaurant, which is  actually called Nice where they
serve very nice cakes, snacks and meals including gluten-free goodies much
to my deligh.

Mike Kelly

 Mike Kelly's images of knitted items.

The Mike Kelly's exhibition was situated in the modern art gallery on the basement floor. He is a American installation, performance artist and painter. His work is a bit like Marmite you like it or you hate it, but that is for you to judge, as I know what I think !! Also I had to edit his work are some of it was too obscene for my blog.

Going down......

Made from fabric and stitched.

Another.......

These are made from fabric that have been collaged into and they are huge statements.

Carpet with lumps under.... to  represent children's nightmares.

 Pictures pictures of knitted images. 

 And some more.

Drawings.

 They speak for themselves.

 This is paper that's been folded and then drawn into.

 This is a close-up image of the above photograph.

 More drawings of Mike Kelly's.

 Photographs shown on very large screens lit up that's the best way can explain it.

 More painted images of Mike Kelly's.

This is a snapshot of a video with sounds and you also see my feet !!!

 Must admit Mike Kelly's exhibition was a bit of an eye-opener I've seen other exhibitions which are strange but have to say I think this is one of the strangest exhibitions I've seen. Mike Kelly was only in his 50s when he died so what happened to him I don't know but I feel that he was quite disturbed in some sort of way because his work is so extreme but not in a nice way. So, if you like the strange and obscene this exhibitions is one for you.....

The Modern Art Gallery. Amsterdam.

Alberto Giacometti.

The modern art gallery in Amsterdam is a magnificent modern building and contained some of the most fantastic paintings, furniture, fabrics and jewellery. The Gallery was amazing, it contained so many well-known artists and their work. It's was fabulous to go and see their work in situ. It was a gallery you could have spent all day in and still go back for more !!

A feat of engineering by Richard Serral.
This stands outside of the Modern Art Gallery.

Another view of the sculpture by Richard Serral.

 Outside of the gallery.

Wall of posters inside the gallery.

Another view of the posters.

George Braque.

Karl Blossfeldt.

Piet Mondriaan.

Piet Mondriaan.

Marc Chagall.

Fernand Leger.

Van Gogh.

George Hendrik Breitner

Upstairs to see more.

Chair 1960's

Radiogram 1960's.

1950's typewriter.

Fabrics 1950's 

Tapestry 1954

Furnishing fabrics 1950's

1960's chair.

Hand made jewellery 1960's

Another view of the light and airy gallery.

The above images are just a snapshot of the gallery. There are just too many exhibits to put on my blog so I would recommend that if you are in Amsterdam make the modern art gallery one of your priorities to visit. The gallery is very large high ceilings and light and airy and all the exhibits are easy to see and you are allowed to take photographs which to me is a bonus.