Craig-Martin, Gowrie, Banksy...off to a good start in London.

Well it's been a bit since I last posted, and a lot has already happened.  We started classes last week, and so far everything has been really interesting, though it has been crazy busy.  We had lectures on Modernism, Avant-Garde, and Post-Modernism, visited a few galleries, visited a few museums, and met with an artist, a gallerist, and a resource specialist working for the Tate museums.  Our first writing assignment was due yesterday, and I've already read more than I thought my brain could handle.  What a whirlwind!

A few of the students from my program were allowed to sit in on a panel discussion with Michael Craig-Martin and Lord Grey Gowrie...um...can you say awesome?  Craig-Martin was one of the founding members of the YBA and Gowrie was chairman of Sotheby's and the Arts Council of England.  It was a great discussion about the development of the art market in London, and I may have been a little awestruck.  And Grey Gowrie is an adorable elderly gentleman.

So far the best part has been spending time in the museums with our tutors.  We spend hours walking through museums critiquing curatorial displays, articulating methodologies and art practice, and carrying on dialog about specific works of art until we've stripped a piece apart from every angle.  It's incredible.  We spent two hours at the Courtauld Gallery the other day and only covered four paintings.

London living is going well.  The city is beautiful and full of wonderful opportunities.  I met some of the people from our program at a food festival the last weekend where they had all ranges of cheeses, meat pies, chocolates, and crazy foods to try and purchase.  Two days ago I ran through Hyde Park where Londoners seem to spend their lazy Sundays lounging in the grass, walking with friends, and feeding swans in the ponds.  It's a beautiful oasis in the midst of a bustling city.  Lively, green, and perfect for a sunny afternoon out of the flat.

Today was especially awesome.  After visiting the UCL libraries (oh my gosh books!!), Chris, Misha, and I went to get a couple of £4 pizzas before heading back to Christie's for an afternoon of reading through culture and ideologies essays when we suddenly came across a Banksy graffito!! Unreal! I've never seen a Banksy in person and definitely not one on the streets.  It even had the little mouse tag at the bottom.  For anyone who doesn't know, Banksy is an anonymous graffiti artist who does incredible street art all over the world and is an incredibly talented painter and political activist.  It was a really cool, and totally unexpected, uplift for the afternoon.

This week promises another round of unbelievable adventures.  We get a firsthand look into the Post-War and Contemporary Art sales at Christie's tomorrow, a day at the Frieze art faire on Thursday, and get to attend a panel discussion for the Multiplied art faire put on my Christie's.  Can't wait!