Van Gogh's The Sunflowers at The National Gallery

On the afternoon of Wednesday 26th March 2014 I visited The Sunflowers Exhibition at The National Gallery in London. Visitors were given the chance to compare and contrast these much-loved masterpieces side by side, while also exploring new research about the artist’s working practices.

The paintings, one owned by the National Gallery, the other by the Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam (Vincent van Gogh Foundation) are two of the five versions of 'Sunflowers' that are now spread around the world (the others currently residing in Tokyo, Munich and Philadelphia). The series dates from 1888, when Van Gogh left Paris to paint in the brilliant sunshine of the South of France, inviting Paul Gauguin to join him. Waiting for Gauguin to arrive, Van Gogh painted a series of pictures of sunflowers to decorate his friend's bedroom. They were meant as a sign of friendship and welcome, but also of Vincent's allegiance to Gauguin as his artistic leader. The pair worked together throughout autumn 1888 – but it ended very badly at the close of the year when Van Gogh seemed to have a nervous breakdown, famously cut off part of his ear and entered an asylum.

The display will also included the results of recent scientific research into the two paintings carried out by both institutions. These investigations have revealed new insights into how Van Gogh painted his 'Sunflowers' and what materials he used – giving us a deeper understanding of the making and meaning of these works of art, and of their relationship to each other. It's always a wonderful experience to visit The National Gallery and seeing The Sunflowers side by side made this a special visit.

Vermeer and Music

On the afternoon of Friday 23rd August 2013 I visited the Vermeer and Music: The Art of Love and Leisure Exhibition at The National Gallery in London which featured the Academy of Ancient Music as Resident Ensemble. This exhibition explored the musical pastimes of the 17th-century Netherlands combining the art of Vermeer and his contemporaries with rare musical instruments, songbooks and live music.

For the first time the National Gallery’s two paintings by Vermeer, A Young Woman standing at a Virginal and A Young Woman seated at a Virginal were brought together with Vermeer’s Guitar Player. There were technical explanations of the paintings along with a recital from the Academy of Ancient Music. It was fantastic to hear the music from the period being played live being surrounded by these amazing paintings. In the 17th-century music was in the moment but with paintings like the Guitar Player the music can live forever.

Norwich Go Go Gorillas Art Trail

On Monday 22nd July 2013 I completed the Norwich Go Go Gorillas Art Trail seeing 53 amazing gorillas all in one day. For 11 weeks the Gorilla sculptures are proudly showcasing the creativity of Norwich as well as highlighting the plight of one of the world's most endangered species.

Each gorilla has been decorated in a variety of colourful and exciting artwork; produced by professional artists, schools and community groups. At the end of the event the gorillas will be auctioned off to raise funds for Break charity which actively changes young lives across East Anglia and the Born Free Foundation that helps thousands of animals worldwide every year.

The gorillas have been positioned at some of the most wonderful venues and sites in the Fine City of Norwich helping to show its great heritage and history. I started the trail at the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist where I said hello to Horatio while Norvic and Juno are spending the summer in Cathedral Close outside Norwich Cathedral. If you look up at Norwich Castle Museum you can see Yo'man standing guard while Optimus Primate looks down on Castle Meadow.

The Importance of Being Earnest and Batgrill are two of the great characters of the Go Go Gorilla Art Trail and have both been known to party at night when all the citizens of Norwich are asleep. The most difficult gorilla to find was Bling Kong who I eventually found at Gilders Way after searching along the river. Freddie Radio Go Go Gorilla has happily returned to his home on Millennium Plain entertaining us with a number of Queen hits.

The Go Go Gorillas Art Trail has proved to be a great success in Norwich over the summer giving pleasure to thousands of people. It has added lots of colour to the city as well as highlighting local artistic talent. I had a brilliant time finding all the gorillas on my journey around the art trail. Well done to everyone involved in bringing the Go Go Gorillas to Norwich and I'm sure that lots of money will be raised for charity at the end of the event.

These Foolish Travels at Norwich Castle Museum

On Friday 24th May 2013 I visited Norwich Castle Museum to see the These Foolish Travels installation by Brian Griffiths which for the duration of the Norfolk and Norwich Festival was hosted in the Castle Keep. This was a carnivalesque collection of tents and temporary dwellings making for an interesting sight in this historic setting.

Through rendered signage and painted image on the exterior of these dwellings, it appeared that this village was a scaled representation of our cosmos. The tents themselves ranged in size and purpose to recall experience, from wedding parties to scouting expeditions.

While the Castle and its historical artefacts suggested the passage of time, the installation presented an absurdist rendition of space, shrunk to fit the confines of the keep's wall, with Griffiths' customary mix of poignance and humour. This was a fantastic installation at Norwich Castle Museum which brought a lot of thought provoking and gave a colourful and spectacular visual experience.

Dear Lynda Exhibition

I visited the Dear Lynda exhibition at The Gallery, Norwich University of the Arts on Wednesday 22nd May 2013. This Norfolk and Norwich Festival exhibition was a homecoming celebration of the works of curator, art historian, writer, patron, muse and Professor, Lynda Morris.

There was an impressive collection of books, letters, catalogues, paintings and ceramics on display relating to exhibitions Lynda Morris has curated, many of which took place in and around the Norwich Gallery. This was an examination of an incredible lifetime's work in the art world.

Dear Lynda told stories of the curatorial encounters Lynda Morris has had with some of the greatest artists of the century including Gilbert and George, Konrad Fischer, Richard Hamilton, John Baldessari, Art and Language, Marcel Broothaers, Sir William Coldstream, Richard Long, Nigel Henderson, Colin Self, Peter Doig and Andre Cadere. This was another great visual arts event at this year's Norfolk and Norwich Festival which was thought provoking and very interesting.

Black Clouds at The Undercroft!

After my visit to The Assembly House on Sunday 19th May 2013 I visited Rhona Byrne's It's All Up In The Air at The Undercroft behind Norwich Marketplace. This installation for the Norfolk and Norwich Festival was created using more then three thousand black balloons that were blown-up and woven together to form five black clouds.

Black clouds are immediately recognisable as a comedic emblem of misery and pessimism but there was a fun side to this installation as the clouds hovered over bright colourful islands made out of carpets. You could say every cloud has a silver lining or always look on the bright side of life as the comical and happy element of It's All Up In The Air was there for all to see.

I enjoyed my visit to The Undercroft which is a space that is normally hidden away but was brought to life for the Norfolk and Norwich Festival. The black clouds looked amazing and filled the space perfectly. Rhona Byrne said that they were like cartoon drawings of a squiggle over your head.

Audible Forces on Earlham Park

On Saturday 18th May 2013 I visited Audible Forces on Earlham Park, Norwich, an intricate landscape of musical installations produced by OCM and Oxford Brookes University Sonic Arts Research Unit. This Norfolk and Norwich Festival event was commissioned by Without Walls.

This collection was inspired by sound artist Max Eastley's explorations into the mythology, history and contemporary role of Aeolian (wind driven) instruments. Max Eastley was joined by Mark Anderson, Jony Easterby, Kathy Hinde, Dan Fox, Nathaniel Robin Mann and Mike Blow creating an ever changing sound world on Earlham Park.

I was amazed by these kinetic, sonic creations that produced incredible and different sounds as the wind breathed life into them. My favourite installation was Kathy Hinde's piece Sonic Reed Bed which captured my imagination. All the pieces were beautiful in their own way and its incredible how they are able to create these wonderful sounds from nature.

Mark Anderson's Phantom Field was very dramatic being made up of twenty one wind synthesisers with each one having a little mini-synthesiser and as the wind blow the pitch changed. This was one of the best events at this year's Festival which turned Norwich's Earlham Park into a delightful constellation of sounds.

Crystal Castles Digipunk Art Statement!

Crystal Castles Digipunk Art Statement! 

I was in a good mood arriving at Norwich UEA on Sunday evening for the Crystal Castles gig having watched Manchester United beat Stoke City 2-1 in the UEA Student Bar with two goals from Chicharito. His first goal scored with an backwards header is what I would call an Art Statement. I would say that Crystal Castles are one big Digipunk Art Statement!

After seeing HEALTH at Norwich Arts Centre last year I was really looking forward to seeing them again and I was not disappointed.  That means they have blown my mind twice! The sound and the intensity of their live shows is out of this world.

After having our minds blown once we all had to get prepared for it all happening again with Crystal Castles. Every second they were on stage it was like I was taken to another dimension. Ethan Kath let's loose the noise and our eyes are stunned by a mass of strobe lighting! Then Alice Glass makes her entrance on stage screaming and shouting causing mass hysteria in the audience. For the next hour it was like all our senses were ripped apart by the greatest Digipunk band in the world! Alice was crowd surfing without a care in the world and I was jumping up and down in awe of one of my favourite bands.

Crystal Castles have been accused of being style over substance. I would say that is completely missing the point. This is Ethan and Alice's Art on full view to the world. They may shock but that is the case with lots of Art. I love both their albums and their live show is a stunning though provoking spectacle. This has to be one of the best gigs of my life!