An interesting day. Signed off sick for 2 weeks which I feel absolutely dreadful about in terms of guilt with my work place and colleagues. But relief too. I do not feel able to work right now.
And a day trip to London with AB. A delightful day of curiosities.
Finally, after all these years of thinking about going, I have visited the Wellcome Foundation. And truly what a collection of curiosities, paintings and objects Mr Henry Wellcome collected.
I adored a collection of photos that were absolutely charming not only for their capture of people from lands far away (at that time), but also for their incredible photographic clarity and quality after all these years
Henry Wellcome was a collector. Quoted from the Wellcone leaflet - "entrepreneur, philanthropist, patron of science and pioneer of aerial photography. He also created the world's great museum: a vast stockpile of evidence about our universal interest in health and the body"
And what a stockpile it was - oddities from all corners of the world. Oh and the only etching van Gogh ever did, encouraged by his doctor Dr Gatchet
This is not the etching of course.
But this is.
I wish I could find copies of the photographs. They were truly delightful and incredible all at the same time. But anyway here are a few of the things we saw today in his part of the museum ...
oh rather than put all these on - see
http://www.flickr.com/photos/astropop/sets/72157607489294155/
http://www.wellcomecollection.org/whats-on/exhibitions/medicine-man/image-galleries-1.aspx
There were some really extraordinary items. So interesting and mind opening. Sometimes I am so oblivious to all that has gone before us. And also the cultural differences.
I was struck by the number of sexually explicit items from Japan and China. They were items that promoted pleasure and experiment in sex. Then we discovered the European items - chastity was the sentiment. Various chastity belts and penis rigs that would halt masturbation in a very very painful manner. Surprisingly these items were from Netherlands, Germany and Britain!!!!! No wonder there is such a sense of guilt and shame. Embrace the beauty from the Orient, where the body and sexuality is revered.
It's late. I am going to sleep. To be continued ....
Bliss
XX
So to continue......
The galleries are arranged:
Beginning of life
Understanding the Body
Treating yourself
Seeking help
End of life
This is one of the wonderful photos .....
Alfred Duggan-Cronin went to Kimberly, South Africa in 1897 to take up a position with De Beers Consolidated Mines. He observed the different tribes working on the mines and began to build up a photographic record. After World War I Duggan-Cronin returned to South Africa. Supported by government and Carnegie grants, he spent the next 25 years exploring and photographing the many tribal areas and customs. Duggan-Cronin was fascinated by black South African culture and the drastic changes he saw occurring under Westernisation. He built up an amazing photographic record of approximately 6000 images, documenting many of the groups of black South Africans.
