Grandma P's Ramblings Through Life

I like art galleries. I like looking at pictures and sculptures.
Art is almost always interesting and tells a story - not always an obvious story to the viewer.
As with most people, "I know what I like".
I prefer that the pictures are not too accurate a copy of a scene.......a camera and a sensitive photographer  can do that.
I like the painter to have interpreted mood and emotion and character. That is also something a sensitive photographer can do, but in a different way.
But some of today's art leaves me with a question..."What is the point?"
The artist has failed to convey whatever it is they are trying to say.....and I refuse to concede that it is my fault for being too thick to understand.
This is especially true when I look at a work of art and not even see skill. If I could have done it (had I chosen to) then I wonder just why the work has been selected to be exhibited at all.
The Baltic Warehouse Modern Art Gallery on Tyneside provided us with clever art, even quite attractive art; but it also gave us what felt like pointless art.
And we found art in strange places.....the stair well for example.

Here are a few snapshots taken inside the building.





I interpreted this in my own way - maybe it was as the artist, Jim Shaw, intended.
That is another important criteria of art.....the viewer has to make some response.
I wondered if we were being directed to decide if we can tell the difference between snakes and American Presidents!
Skilfully painted.





Laughter is a good response.

And the lamp on the wall made me laugh - especially when Bill sat on the chair underneath.





















This art left me unmoved and confused.
The white blocks are rough concrete. Were they strategically placed to say something?
In the corner, on the floor, is a sort of 19th century magic lantern projector and a digital projector surrounded by odd paraphanalia and leaves.



I liked the bold lettering, high on the building. Seen from a viewing platform.


There were galleries for children to create art and to play.
Fun painting on the window.



















Another gallery was set aside for children - it was half term week.

Scores of them, with parents, were creating fun animals.





















Grand daughter views the video telescope, showing how the view would have been in different centuries.
Mostly we used the lift to go up and down - it is on the side of the building so you whizz up and down with tremendous views over The Tyne.
Thank goodness we used the stairs too.

We are nearly at the bottom of the stairs - looking down on a mirror.
Maybe there was a mirror at the top too.





































































The indoor viewing pod is at the top, on the right.
There is an outdoor platform level with the lettering.
At the very top is a smart restaurant.