I was rushing to collect my tickets to a concert at ST. MARTIN-IN-THE-FIELDS and walked at a rather quick pace through Leicester Square.  I have walked by this marble sculpture of SHAKESPEARE hundreds of times over the years, but I never noticed the quotation.  There is always so muh going on in the square;  it just escaped me.  But this time, the comment from Shakespeare really struck me.   I HAD TO POST IT FOR MY READERS.  We live in times when we could spend a bit of time considering this quotation.  I suppose you have to be older to have it make much of an impact.  Very beautiful.  Had to share.

I am off to FROGMORE HOSUE in Windsor Great Park with my friend Maureen Walker in the morning.  I am so excited.  I have never seen Queen Charlotte / the Duchess of Kent’s FROGMORE home before.  I am so thrilled it is open this Bank Holiday.  The Mausoleums are closed for repairs.  I will blog about the day when I get home and before I go to St. Martin’s.

Rushing here.

Thomas Moore   email:  TMooreSr@me.com    Telephone:  801.791.9918

http://www.londonconnection.com

Thomas Moore   email:  TMooreSr@me.com    Telephone:  801.791.9918

http://www.londonconnection.com

British political cartoons are often much more vicious than their North American counterparts.  In one of the milder instances, the GUARDIAN’S Steve Bell invariably depicted Prime Minster John Major wearing his underpants over is trousers.  Another editorial cartoonist, Martin Rowson, has shown post-Iraq war Blair drenched in blood.

In the 1980′s, satirical puppet show “Spitting Image” depicted Thatcher as a butcher with a bloody cleaver.  Cartoonist Gerald Scarfe turned her into a prehistoric predator:  the Torydactyl.

Today, Scarfe acknowledges affection for the Iron Lady as a subject, despite their political disagreements.

“Mrs. Thatcher was great because she was a strong woman and she produced strong images,” he said.  ”The cartoon comes from the character.  You can’t make weak people strong.”

Many of the works on display mock, but some also appeal for change.  Hogarth’s 1751 GIN LANE and George Cruikshank’s  1862 THE WORSHIP OF BACCHUS are both savage depictions of the damage done by excessive alcohol that helped change social attitudes.

In the 1930′s, David Low’s cartoons of Hitler helped turn British feeling against appeasement.  Posters used by protesters against the invasion of Iraq unsuccessfully exhorted Blair to MAKE TEA, NOT WAR.

Scarfe, whose work appears in the SUNDAY TIMES NEWSPAPER said at the best of times comic art can produce a kind of rallying point around which people can gather and think THAT IS WHAT I WAS FEELING BUT COULDN’T PUT INTO WORDS.

Scarfe said;  I HOPE IT HELPS SUM UP PEOPLE’S FEELINGS, AND HOPEFULLY EVENTUALLY IT CAN BECOME A MOVEMENT.

Scarfe says he is realistic about the limits of satire’s power.  He says many politicians secretly enjoy being caricatured, and often ask if they can buy cartoons for themselves.

AND AFTR CENTURIES OF SATIRE, BRITAIN OFFICIALLY REMAINS A MONARCHY WITH ITS UPPER CLASS FIRMLY INTACT.  LAUGHTER HAS NOT LED TO REVOLUTION.

“PERHAPS WE HAVEN’T HAD A REVOLUTION BECAUSE OF THE SAFETY VALVE PROVIDED BY THAT SATIRICAL ART.

So, it can be argued that SATIRE is a conservative force.

I find this concept thought-provoking.  I AM GOING TO THIS EXHIBITION AT THE TATE BRITAIN.

Thanks,

Thomas Moore   email:  TMooreSr@me.com    Telephone:  801.791.9918

http://www.londonconnection.com

British political cartoons are often much more vicious than their North American counterparts.  In one of the milder instances, the GUARDIAN’S Steve Bell invariably depicted Prime Minster John Major wearing his underpants over is trousers.  Another editorial cartoonist, Martin Rowson, has shown post-Iraq war Blair drenched in blood.

In the 1980′s, satirical puppet show “Spitting Image” depicted Thatcher as a butcher with a bloody cleaver.  Cartoonist Gerald Scarfe turned her into a prehistoric predator:  the Torydactyl.

Today, Scarfe acknowledges affection for the Iron Lady as a subject, despite their political disagreements.

“Mrs. Thatcher was great because she was a strong woman and she produced strong images,” he said.  ”The cartoon comes from the character.  You can’t make weak people strong.”

Many of the works on display mock, but some also appeal for change.  Hogarth’s 1751 GIN LANE and George Cruikshank’s  1862 THE WORSHIP OF BACCHUS are both savage depictions of the damage done by excessive alcohol that helped change social attitudes.

In the 1930′s, David Low’s cartoons of Hitler helped turn British feeling against appeasement.  Posters used by protesters against the invasion of Iraq unsuccessfully exhorted Blair to MAKE TEA, NOT WAR.

Scarfe, whose work appears in the SUNDAY TIMES NEWSPAPER said at the best of times comic art can produce a kind of rallying point around which people can gather and think THAT IS WHAT I WAS FEELING BUT COULDN’T PUT INTO WORDS.  

Scarfe said;  I HOPE IT HELPS SUM UP PEOPLE’S FEELINGS, AND HOPEFULLY EVENTUALLY IT CAN BECOME A MOVEMENT.

Scarfe says he is realistic about the limits of satire’s power.  He says many politicians secretly enjoy being caricatured, and often ask if they can buy cartoons for themselves.

AND AFTR CENTURIES OF SATIRE, BRITAIN OFFICIALLY REMANS A MONARCHY WIT ITS UPPER CLASS FIRMLY INTACT.  LAUGHTER HAS NOT LED TO REVOLUTION.

“PERHAPS WE HAVEN’T HAD A REVOLUTION BECAUSE OF THE SAFETY VALVE PROVIDED BY THAT SATIRICAL ART.   

So, it can be argued that SATIRE is a conservative force.

I find this concept thought-provoking.  I AM GOING TO THIS EXHIBITION AT THE TATE BRITAIN.  

Thanks,

Thomas Moore  801.7919918

http://www.londonconnection.com

I LOVE BEATRIX POTTER.  I think we all have one thing in common:  BEATRIX POTTER.  When I was a child, PETER RABBIT and other Potter tales were part of my daily life.  My mother read all the tales to us over the years.  When we were in London, she bought the complete collection at Harrods, and I remember having that collection next to my bed for most of my young.  When we were young parents, a loving Adopted Aunt named Shirley Carroll in Reading Massachusetts gave our children a second complete collection.  So, our children heard the tales at bedtime.  As they grew older, they collected all the animal figures–bunnies, mice, etc..

When I learned that the ORIGINAL ILLUSTRATIONS FROM THE BEATRIX POTTER BOOK   PETER RABBIT   will be displayed alongside the text of the story, I knew I had to share this notification with my readers.

These ORIGINAL ILLUSTRATIONS will be on display from 3 July – 8 January  at THE VICTORIA AND ALBERT MUSEUM in South Kensington.

Helen Beatrix Potter was born in London on 28 July, 1866 and died on 22 Deember, 1943.  She was born into a priviledged household and educated by governesses and grew up isolated from other children.  She had numerous pets and spent holidays in Scotland and the Lake District, developing a love of landscape, flora and fauna, all of which she closely observed and painted.  Her parents discouraged her intellectual development as a young woman, but her study and watercolor of fungi led to her being widely respected in the field of mycology.

In her thirties, Potter publishd the highly successful children’s book, THE TALE OF PETER RABBIT.  Around that time she became engaged secretly to her publisher Norman Ware.  This caused a breach with her parents who disapproved of her marrying someone of lower social status.  Warne died before the wedding could take place.

BEATRIX POTTER began writing and illustrating children’s books full time.  With proceeds form the books, she became financially independent of her parents and was eventually able to buy HILL TOP FARM in the Lake District.  She extended the property with other purchases over time.  In her forties, she married William Heelis, a local solicitor, became a sheep breeder and farmer while continuing to write and illustrate books for children.  She published twenty-three books.

Potter died on 22 December 1943 and left almot all of her property to the National Trust.  Her books continue to see well throughout the world.  Her stories have been retold in various formats including a ballet, films, and in animation.

I encourage my readers to visit the V&A and enjoy the ORIGINAL ILLUSTRATIONS  from the Beatrix Potter book PETER RABBIT.

I have a warm in this one.

Thanks,

Thomas Moore

http://www.londonconnection.com

EVENT PREVIEW:  LONDON LITERATURE FESTIVAL AT THE SOUTHBANK CENTER

London literature lovers, cancel all appointments and clear your calenders because this time Next week it’s the start of the LONDON LITERATURE FESTIVAL, taking place at the SOUTHBANK CENTRE from Thursday 1st July until Sunday 18 July.

The stellar line-up include FOR BOOKS’ SAKE favorites Jeanette Winterson, Jackie Kay, Bret Easton Ellis, and Andrew O’Hagan among many more–debates, discussions, writing workshops, book clubs, poetry slams and performances aplenty.

What a fantastic FESTIVAL.

Thanks,

Tom

http://www.londonconnection.com