Be gentle or do not touch!

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A recent journey to Central London is still in my 'visual thoughts'.
My steps were intentionally guided to enjoy Ernesto Neto's site specific installation at the Hayward Gallery, The edges of the world.

In a gloomy summer day in London, the colourful fabrics, materials, scents, spices, softness, hardness and excitement in Neto's work allowed a sensuous feeling of warmth.



Photographs by Steve White


Only few steps away from the Hayward Gallery, in Trafalgar square, placed on the forth plinth, here appears the giant Nelson's ship in a bottle by Yinka Shonibare.
I have been waiting to sail on this ship for long time. I stand still admiring the work. My mind goes to a quote by Nietzsche in the book I am reading, The Black Atlantic by Paul Gilroy: We children of the future, how could we be at home in this today? We feel disfavour for all ideals that might lead one to feel at home even in this fragile, broken time of transition; as for "realities", we do not believe that they will last. The ice that still supports people today has become very thin; the wind that brings the thaw is blowing; we ourselves who are homeless constitute a force that speaks open ice and other all too thin "realities".


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