Leeds Art Gallery

What I didn't mention in my last post is my disinterest in surrealism in general, which is why my visit to Leeds gallery was so disappointing after enduring it once already in Manchester. Leeds' surrealism collection is much more extensive and representative of the whole genre though, it has to be said.
The curation of the works is also very admirable and impressive, with groups being made through theme, chronology or form, making the viewing of the art much more ordered and clear (ironically)
This shrewd organisation of art means that it takes longer to fall victim to gallery fatigue, and the whole visit is much more relaxing and enjoyable.

Manchester Art Gallery

Currently at Manchester Art Gallery is an exhibition called 'Angels of Anarchy: Women Artists and Surrealism' which is fairly interesting. The premise for the exhibition seems a little contrived to me, surrealism should be represented as a whole really, but this narrowing of the theme let's the collection be concentrated into an obvious point- the way that female artists of the past felt it necessary to express their sexuality, but in a coded manner so as not to have their work banned or derided.
Manchester Gallery can often be relied upon to have interesting, if not always entirely balanced exhibitions, and I was this year incredibly privileged to have seen some original Da Vinci pages.
A museum well worth keeping an eye on.

royal armouries

The Royal Armouries Leeds is located at Clarence dock, alongside the River Aire. It displays a large portion of the United Kingdom’s collection of armour and includes items from the present day as well as previous ages, including artifacts from the English civil war, and royal armours belonging to Tudor and Stuart kings. As well as armour, it hosts a collection of fine art, and a special collection dedicated to the Tower of London.
Walking around the exhibits was awkward and the displays seemed incoherent, with very little guidance as to where to start and it was difficult to see how some displays were related to the next one, with each gallery seeming to end rather abruptly. There was very little to experience ‘hands-on’ in the museum which I think let it down slightly. There lots to see but not enough to do. I felt the museum was geared more towards arms enthusiasts with a deep understanding of armoury, rather than those with a casual interest, or those looking for something to do for a day out. It really didn’t feel like the kind of place you’d take your family for a day out, I think a lot of people would get bored with seeing too much of the same thing and they wouldn’t appreciate the artifacts.
The most interesting aspect of the actual building housing the armouries is the glass tower containing a spiraling staircase displaying a variety of spears and swords on both sides of the walls, so that artifacts are visible to people inside the building and outside it. Oddly enough however, it somewhat resembles a watchtower and puts me in mind of a prison. One clever feature I really did like was the benches outside. They were black marble and bordered with the names of different armours and weapons quite stylishly. It also included the word 'brigandine' which is one of my favourites.

Sea-Life centres!

It occurred to me the other day how insanely brilliant the underwater tunnels at Sea-Life centres are. The idea of looking up at the fish from beneath the water is ingenious, and in reality, I could spend hours sitting in those perspex tunnels. From above, the water shimmers and the light refracts, making the fish less visible. From the side, the view is clear, yes, but from below, you are surrounded by the water and the animals, and you really feel as if you're having a magical experience. The idea was so revolutionary that it has been incorporated as the main attraction in every iteration of the Sea-Life centre, and any other halfway decent aquarium, from the Blue Planet in Ellesmere Port (awesome day out) to the Aquarium of the Lakes, on the shore of lake Windemere, where it is used to display ducks (it's still brilliant, because the ducks dive, and their little feet paddle around and it's really cute).
The underwater tunnels are a distinctive mark of a good aquarium, and the unorthodox thinking that came up with them is admirable. It's a remarkable way to present you with information in a museum- by literally surrounding you with the remarkable source of the information, and making you really want to watch.

Natural History Museum- Darwin Centre

This is probably one of the most obvious museums, but one worth mentioning currently, due to the opening of the new darwin centre, which is the largest concrete structure in europe. Built to resemble a giant cocoon, the building is surprisingly beautiful, and there has been care taken throughout the museum to make the experience fluid and enjoyable. Of note are the interactive displays, which are beautifully animated and full of well-presented information.
The layout as a whole is exceptionally well planned, including a room investigating the effects of global warming on biodiversity, and a portion where the public can view evolutionary scientists going about their work, cataloguing and classifying behind a glass wall, as if in some kind of surreal space zoo. It stands as a remarkably designed monument to Darwin's work, and it's continued ramifications for the earth.