Wednesday, November 28, 2007

balancing



My father stayed with us at the weekend, and on Saturday we went to the Royal Academy for an exhibition of the British Art collection of someone unfeasibly rich.







Much as I enjoyed some of the exhibition - above all some Blake paintings and illuminations, also some lovely landscapes and luminous Turners - I enjoyed this statue outside at least as much.






I got home and realised I didn't have a picture of the whole sculpture. Doh!
Here it is.

And here is a bit more info. about it (click to enlarge):




I found the sculpture somehow reassuring, suggestive of shelter and balance.
It can be so hard to maintain - actually no, to find - balance. I struggle to find a stable footing between

being a perfectionist and being a slob;

eating healthy fruit and veg-rich meals and taking all my supplements and just making do with the odd bit of toast and marmite;

hopelessness and wishful thinking;

accepting at face value and scepticism;

chronic over-preparation and workaholism and over-confidence in my ability to wing it;

understanding and regret;

accepting too much the status quo and trying too hard;

just one glass of wine and the whole bottle....


.... oooh i could go on. But wont. That might be too much. Hmmm, now theres another thing, how much is too much?

Don't you just love those huge toes?

19 comments:

Steve Reed said...

Wow...that is...really BIG!

The toes look like salt shakers!

Perhaps it's enough that you recognize the extremes of various behaviors and know where the middle lies, even if you find the middle difficult to achieve. I think a lot of people can't even tell what's extreme!

tut-tut said...

Oooh, like these musings of yours today. Especially like the photos going from the extreme closeup to the different aspects. Actually better, I think, that you don't have the entire sculpture in one picture here.

Now I'm thinking about balance . . .

lowenkopf said...

Didn't realize Pod had such large feet.

lettuce said...

wise words steve, as i'd expect from you. (*not the words about the salt shakers.....;op)

Tut-tut, it was extremely photographable.

silly words shelly, as i'd expect from you. ;op

Anonymous said...

I love those big toes!

Akelamalu said...

I love the whole thing it's beautiful!

Lynne said...

Very cool. Looks like 3-legged Buddha has achieved perfect balance, whereas I see-saw from one extreme to the other these days.

Beautiful colors and textures in that statue! superb.

mouse (aka kimy) said...

completely enjoyed this post...the yin and the yang of your musings on balance...I identified with everyone. yum marmite...I may ask if you bring me a jar in april??? will definitely see you in PA or DC... can we be loose for a bit? back to marmite, it is terribly difficult to find and I have been out for quite a while!

what a wonderful outing with your dad...blake, turner and this marvelous sculpture.

ah how much is too much, I do have a prob at times with that!

Shammickite said...

Hmmmm... I find the three legged Bhudda a bit disconcerting, too big, too monstrous.
BTW Marmite is available in Toronto. Lots of it. Yummy.

Reya Mellicker said...

This is SO cool! Oh Lettuce you ARE perfection in all your extremes and all the inbetweens and in all your attempts at balance. There's no such thing as too much of you!

Steve Reed said...

Marmite. Ugh.

Queenie said...

Love it,now I can relate to you with the wine, but marmite Yuck!!!

The fabric of my life said...

Lovely post and beautiful pictures Letty. I too find the whole balance thing a daily struggle. Marmite on toast has to be one of my favourite meals and if I didn't have a family to cook for would probably be on the menu most nights, with slices of tomato or cucumber on though, yum ;-)

Gary said...

I know you only mention it briefly but I LOVE William Blake. I get lost in his art and poetry. There is another one for balance - Heaven and Hell, Innocence and Experience.

Thanks for the link to the whole statue but I enjoyed the parts you photographed.

Richard Womack said...

Nice,Thanks,May-be some painted lions & cows to boot with the exhibit.

"Windows on Tibetans"1973..NYC Art-show
June,05-28th...Peace.

Bobby D. said...

This is a great piece of public art--I love public art doncha know...

call me betty said...

Really cool photos!

Marmite - food of the Gods. (How many jars do we need to put in our bags in April, then??)

lettuce said...

me too Jess. :o)

ta Klulu.

Lynne - me too with the seesawing.

Kimy, it will be a pleasure to bring you some marmite. And loose for a bit sounds good too

ex-shammie, welcome to another fan of marmite.

Reya you are so sweet. That makes me feel all warmy and glowy.

Steve. :o(
& Queenie. ditto.

donna, always plenty of toast and marmite chez nous, please come and eat with me.

Gary, me too - it was amazing seeing some of that series in full original glorious physical glowing colour.

richard, hello. hmmm, painted cows and lions. I feel the need to investigate

hello ched, thats a familiar little cat face, I know i've seen it elsewhere. Me too. Don't mind paying sometimes but public art is The Best.

hey Betty! i've missed you. Well, one for Kimy, none for Steve, so far.....

Richard Womack said...

Thanks everyone,enjoyed The insight
& fun....