I am just going to pretend that it is Monday, although clearly I have broken the routine FIRST TIME IN 34 WEEKS by doing this on Tuesday.
My excuse – Bank Holiday and unexpected health issues.
The week was something between a recovery and back to work mode… so I packed in dose of culture in one day, predicting that no other days will be suitable.
I had a plan:
TIGER RAGS – THE FABRIC OF HULL CITY AFC
THE DINOSAUR EXPERIENCE HULL @DINOSTAR
When heading to the TIGER RAGS – THE FABRIC OF HULL CITY AFC display, I was pretty clueless that it will be about the famous Hull City. Which easily proves that I am not in the game at all.
For me the display perhaps didn’t mean the same as it would to true fans and believers, but I felt a bit of a legacy when entering a room. There was a family that looked at the whole history of the Hull City kits and memorabilia, watched the video about the players and I recognised the importance of the little exhibition in the most bizarre place.
BLEACHED BY TANIA KOVATS as part of the day came on my way to Humber Street. The building, its location and potential to amaze me was present when approaching.
Without making things up – genuinely one of my favourite culture visits in the recent weeks. There is no photo proof, but I had two guys helping me to soak the culture, we talked and chit-chatted, criticized and praised the work of Tania Kovats. Complete strangers, but the culture brought us together for those 15 important minutes. And the story behind their visit – old friends, both retired, now living in different areas, come together to see the culture and have a lunch/brunch/coffee/pint every now and then. How cool is that? This is why this year has changed things around, this is why everyone can find something beneficial about Hull 2017.
Sculptures exploring the beauty of coral and its fragile position in the world’s ecosystem, was something that we evaluated as potentially upsetting – if beneath the white coat was real coral, we could not accept the sacrifices made to create the art.
Off course it turned out that The Deep was able to save a large quantity of modal (artificial) coral after refurbishment for Tania to work with, so the artist used representation to raise awareness of what could potentially happen with the corals if the humans don’t start to think environmentally friendly.
It remains stunning sculpture with exceptional amount of fine detail that I had the pleasure to view.
The sculptures Ocean Bowls are just as stunning as the corals. And mystery at first glance. I thought that each metal piece has been saved from a different ocean and we see the different effects that it had created. But NO, under each piece was a great idea hidden for us to find…
Each piece has been cut out as Planet Earth, metal part being ocean and cut outs being land. So if pieced together it will create a planet that we know so far.
As before – it was so interesting to puzzle this mystery with strangers that become your friends for the moment and find Great Britain, Philippines, Baltics or Mexico.
There was a third art display – a bit of paint on paper that we called to be a fish planet – because so many things are to do with water, sea, river.
After the amazing experience I walked into almost electric skyline overlooking Hull Town and was in a good mood – being busy even with photo-jobs can sometimes be difficult, because there is no real freedom. However the culture photo challenge gives me the freedom, so something to celebrate.
And then it was spoiled – by Dinostar – The Dinosaur Experience Hull.
I am really sorry, but I was very shocked when I noticed the price for entry -not a symbolic £1 but £3 for an adult. And to make it worse, finishing my tour I felt like that was my worst £3 spent for an entry to culture.
It turned to be funny – this place has always been on my sight, interested of what is hidden inside the building. Every time I walked past there, it was closed, so to finally get in should’ve made my day.
The whole thing is ridiculously outdated and 90’s entertainment. Even for children in our generation this must feel like a joke.
But then – I have seen some spectacular exhibitions and art spaces, so the stacks are high.
I came out with my hands stamped with blurred dinosaurs and a conclusion – Dinostar need to apply for a funding and re-do the place, because the idea behind it is great and keeps the world of the mystery and wonderful alive for the kids.
Whilst heading to THE HOUSE OF KINGS AND QUEENS I bumped into something really cool – Building Block Hack!
The workshop run by artist and FORMCard founder Peter Marigold is part of the States Of Play Workshops – the incredible exhibition that I visited few weeks ago [see the photos here: MY CITY OF CULTURE – MY HULL – WEEK 29]
In short – kids and grownups playing with Lego’s and bits of melted plastic creating monsters, hero’s, unicorns and random bits.
The last one of the day was THE HOUSE OF KINGS AND QUEENS.
First impression – stunning display and beautiful photographs covering a content that surprisingly remains taboo amongst society [noticed that when hanging about near the entrance – parents by accident brought kids thinking that it is the States Of Play exhibition and rushed out as soon as realised that the story behind the heartfelt photographs is transgender].
But I loved it. I truly did. First of all the photographer Lee Price has done an amazing job with storytelling through photographs, curating the notes underneath the photographs. Secondly – the context is easy to relate to. You don’t have to be transgender or gay to not feel free in today’s world. There are so many other reasons why people feel like that. I found it touching and really encourages me to be more open mined.
Also seeing this exhibition I really need to find out more about Sierra Leone and its relationship with Hull. It has popped up before in my culture wonders, or event at Uni. Now it is time to find out more, so a little homework for coming weeks.
This exhibition is 10/10. Thank you for the viewing and observing experience.
THIS WEEK IS THE FREEDOM FESTIVAL 10th ANNIVERSARY AND I AM SO EXCITED TO WORK WITH FREEDOM FESTIVAL THIS YEAR.
I might have a bit of none Freedom Festival culture for you – THE HESSLE ROADERS
but we’ll see.
HAPPY CULTURE PEOPLE
ANETE SOODA PHOTO 