The Shah-Nama is an epic poem from Persia written over a thousand years ago and was the subject of my dissertation, submitted today for the University of Warwick – Yippee. So back to other exhibitions now. The Book of Kings, the literal translation of Shah-Nama which, traces the line of Persian rulers from the beginning of…
Category: Comment
Artlords – Afghanistan
Art galleries are still out of bounds to me at the moment so I thought a little trip into the news would be enjoyable. Not coronavirus of course, or Huawei but deeper down in the stories. I came across Artlords, which is a play on words commonly attributable to Afghanistan and Kabul; warlords or druglords….
Botticelli – Pentecost
Pentecost – it seems so strange celebrating Pentecost and the giving of the Holy Spirit with all our churches closed. Anyway we enjoyed a beautiful service filmed in our local church of St Mary Magdalene, in Adlestrop, complete with a special appearance from Buster the Adlestrop cat. It was a triumph for those who produced…
L. S. Lowry. VE Day
Hope you are having a street party to celebrate VE Day 75. We have set up ours on our own (boo hoo) and hope to miss the thunderstorms forecast later. Thousands of ant-like people are seen thronging the streets of this city to celebrate the end of the Second World War in Europe. The industrial…
Easter Day – St Giles Oxford
Welcome everyone to a very sunny Easter in lockdown. I thought a modern painting might be appropriate. I have always recommended to people to see The Menorah if they are visiting Oxford. Roger Wagner, like Giotto seven hundred years earlier, chose to represent this most Christian of images using contemporary language. The cooling towers, which…
Luke (1980-2020)
This morning was the funeral of my lovely nephew, Luke, after a long battle with cancer. The occasion was sad enough anyway, without the awfulness of not being able to join the family to share our goodbyes. We lit a candle in the front window and it has burnt brightly all day. We miss you…
Palm Sunday
Palm Sunday and the sun is shining brightly. We were to have a parade in our village this morning with donkeys and a congregation singing hymns in the streets. It will now be an online service on our own. But the message of peace and hope still reign supremely as we enter Holy Week. As…
Thinking of Venice
It seems a long long time ago that we were in Venice enjoying the streets packed with tourists and the Aperols, ciccetti and pasta – not to mention the study in the wonderful libraries. My thoughts are with the people of Venice and hope to return as soon as possible. I most miss the amazing…
Artweeeks 2020 Cancelled
Hi all. Not unexpectedly I have had to cancel the exhibition for Oxfordshire Artweeks Festival in May. I have filled my Online exhibition with a few images from last years exhibition. keep Safe, Gordon
Maha Rukab – Psalm 91
Cooped up in solitary confinement with a cough and sneezes. Bliss. The Galleries, Museums and libraries are all shut.Thought I might send out a few cheerful images over the next few days and weeks. This one from Psalm 91, one of the very beautiful bits of scripture.
