Wow, it’s been a mad week. After a fun week involving dancing to the most amazing cheesy 90s music (cue Hanson’s Mmmbop and a bit of old school Britney), friends visiting and dropping off various presents, it culminated in a trip to London where I had a great time meeting a Uni friend. We met up and went to the new Saatchi gallery. It’s well worth a visit the next time you happen to be in Chelsea or perusing the luxury brands on the Kings Road (if only!)
It was surprising as the exhibition had very serious undertones (Saatchi’s newest acquisitions are Chinese artists and most are making statements about the history of their country and current problems) though there was still room for an installation of a donkey humping the skeleton of what appeared to be a skyscraper. The latter are the types of art that Saatchi is well known for collecting…he was after all the main patron for Hirst, Emin and other sensationalised artists in the 1990s. I did love Xiaogang’s family portraits which question the identity of the chinese culture of collectivisim, something that I think is still very apparent in China but it directly refers to the cultural revolution period. All the portraits had a generic quality, a doll like stillness and a passiveness that to me, seem to reflect the artists thoughts on communist China. I should probably put my art history degree to some use and write up more on my visit to the Saatchi but that can be for another day!
Zhang Xiaogang, A Big Family, 1995, Oil on Canvas
http://www.saatchi-gallery.co.uk/
After, we hopped back on the tube and stopped off at Topshop which I very much put it akin to a black hole. You go in and it’s almost impossible to escape as I am sure you are all aware it is pretty much like a department store where you can buy anything from make up to sandwiches.
Outfit 1
T-Shirt (Neurotica White Label)
Skirt (Urban Outfitters)
Tights (Topshop)
Outfit 2
Dress (TFNC)
Belt (Vintage)
Blue Leggings (TopShop)
Outfit 3
Belt (Urban Outfitters)
skirt (TopShop)
Cardigan (TopShop)
I bought both the T-shirt and dress from Topshop concession floor. Everytime I go to London I rarely buy Topshop clothes but opt for things I can’t get in Birmingham. I adore the print on the t-shirt and love the grey drape on the dress. The detail on the top half is all an intricate woollen pattern. I will have to get a close up one of these days because it’s so pretty. I bought the lavender skirt today in Birmingham’s Topshop. It’s acid wash which I guess is hard to see in the photo. It’s such a throwback to the 80’s which I adore! The Urban outfitters skirt is also new and armed with a giftcard, it wasn’t a hard decision to buy it! It’s harder still when you’re with someone who will encourage you to buy everything…bad bad bad!
I think I have enough clothes to last me for a while and after my next payday I hope to go down to London again, stay with my friend in Camden for the weekend, party and just make the most of it!
