hamer the framer

Le Quattro Volte

I’ve just seen the most beautiful film. It’s undeniably slow but that’s not to say it isn’t action packed. There’s a lot to look at. There is no spoken dialogue as such, just a sequence of gorgeous images that make up a visual poem. It’s premise is the Pythagorean idea that there is a four-fold transmigration of souls, from human to animal to vegetable to mineral. The film follows the passage from man to goat to tree to charcoal, the soul moving through four successive lives, to be discovered four times. It is set in the present day in a medieval village in Calabria. The goats are the stars, but there is one amazing prize-winning performance from a dog. This is my favourite film and I can’t wait to watch it again.

See Philip French’s review in The Guardian, but better still see the film.

Goat Party

On Thursday evening we had a party at The Rowley Gallery to launch Christopher Corr’s new book, The Goggle-Eyed Goats. It was published on World Book Day by Andersen Press in London and Gallimard Jeunesse in Paris. We hung the gallery with Christopher’s paintings for the book, together with more of his other paintings, and created a joyful and exuberant feast for the eyes which we’re now reluctant to take down. Here are some photos from the book launch, courtesy of Clare Simms at Andersen Press. Continue reading “Goat Party”

Le Picodon

Continuing our goatee season, we dedicate this post to the most notable Picodon, a spicy medallion of crusty goat’s cheese, whose delights are celebrated each year at Saoû in France. The younger cheeses are mild and elegant but the more mature they are the more piquant they become, ideal with a glass of Cotes du Rhone Villages. Blessed are the cheesemakers. Most are also goat farmers which means they don’t make large quantities, so Picodon is a rare cheese, hard to find outside of France. Continue reading “Le Picodon”

Goggle At The Goats

A reminder that Christopher Corr’s goats are let loose today, March 1st at The Rowley Gallery, 115 Kensington Church Street, W8 7LN from 6 o’clock. Books and paintings and artist on display.

Stop Press! We’re acting the goat! Special offer one night only 10% discount on sale of goat paintings.

The Lonely Goatherd

Because of his fondness for transforming cheesy show tunes I felt sure that Sonny Rollins must have played The Lonely Goatherd at some time, especially with that goatee. It would have been right at home on his What’s New album. I can almost hear it. His lyrical saxophone singing the melody, then deconstructing it with one of his abstract solos over a rhythm of congas and bongos. But I can’t find a recording anywhere. We’ll have to imagine it, and make do with this version by Eddie Cano. Continue reading “The Lonely Goatherd”

The Goat Rodeo Sessions

A four piece string band featuring Yo-Yo Ma on cello, Edgar Myer on bass, Stuart Duncan on fiddle and Chris Thile on mandolin.

A ‘goat rodeo’ is a chaotic situation where a group of people with differing viewpoints have to work together to avert disaster. These guys seem to manage pretty well. See more here.

St Cirq Lapopie

This beautiful butterfly cut-out was made by Joseph Silcott from a vintage Michelin map of the Dordogne and Lot river valleys. The central butterfly at the top with the green body features St Cirq Lapopie. Others display Rocamadour and Cahors. Joseph simply draws with scissors to release the butterflies from the map. Continue reading “St Cirq Lapopie”

City & Herd

Jelly Green and Conrad Armstrong are both students of Maggi Hambling and attend her classes at Morley College in Lambeth. Jelly is from Suffolk and Conrad from London and both are sharing an exhibition of paintings at Shoreditch Studios on 6th March, for one night only. Be there or be square.

The Wave

A spectacular Navajo sandstone formation, known as The Wave, at Coyote Buttes in the Arizona desert, south west United States. This place is difficult to find, there are no signposts and it is accessible only by foot. The picture is from Eyewitness, a series of often remarkable photographs on the Guardian website. I was reminded of it by Liz Somerville’s image at the end of yesterday’s post.

Dorset Landscapes

On Sunday I went down to Roche Court near Salisbury to see John Hubbard’s Paintings From The 1960s. They are beautiful atmospheric condensations on canvas and paper, displayed in a small light filled gallery in a corner of a garden overwhelmed with sculpture. This tranquil space is a refuge and standing before Rocky Woodland especially I was in a green shade reminded of the undercliff at Lyme Regis. There’s a lot to see. But I was not allowed to photograph it. So I will make do with some we framed earlier, for another exhibition, but one I now discover has just finished! Continue reading “Dorset Landscapes”