Sunday 7 March 2010

Flying Zebras

Smitonius:

I was all of a grumble yesterday, as I had - in an unguarded moment - agreed to attend a screening of documentaries at the Barbican on Journeys along the Thames and London waterways (partner has a thing about boats and other floating vessels). The screening was at a stupid time, 1.30 and - I wrongly thought - would last two hours. The sun was shining and all I wanted was to do something different.

Loh and behold, when we arrived at the Barbican, men and women were handing out leaflets saying 'Do something different'. The place was heaving, children galore, men and women with painted faces the colour of Avatar beings - though they were, in fact, being Indian deities for the East Festival - and there was yoga, dancing, lentils being stuck on bits of paper, balloons, Asian food... and I stopped grumbling. It was such colourful chaos.

The screening was a mixed bag, I must say (and you can watch the best short film on youtube: 'Barging through London (1924)'), but there was an excellent pianist for the silent film documentaries, and it was a shorter screening than I thought! Fully informed about our liquid history, we then noticed a long queue and thought we would join it.... and saw the cutest happening ever: the guitar playing Zebra Finches in The Curve gallery (do check it out on youtube). CĂ©leste Boursier-Mougenot has created this audio-landscape littered with instruments, where the birds fly about and if they land on a instrument they sort of play it. A walk through aviary with a difference.

So, despite my grumbling... I did do something different after all.

Oh, and because a post isn't a post without some sort of pic... we finally hung up the curtains in the study. Look at that sunshine!

10 comments:

Jane Lock said...

Has spring already begun in your neck of the woods? I'm envious.
xx

molly said...

Sounds like you had unexpected fun---the best kind! And that certainly looks like Spring outside your window. Bet that makes you smile!

molly said...

....What cute little birds. And so musical!

Anonymous said...

You both have such very interesting lives and I always look forward to finding out what you've been doing, where you've been going.

Tattieweasle said...

I think I'll go along with those Zebra Finches and have whatever they're having! They seem so chilled about all that noise!

mountainear said...

Sounds like a serendipitous afternoon - sometimes it's good to take yourself by surprise.

And yes, this sunshine has been well good (as the young ones wouls say).

Rattling On said...

It was sunny here as well today. But minus 4 !
It's great when a day turns out well. I think boats are a man-thing. We often have to go and look at them while MrH fantasises about sailing the seven seas (in a caravan on water...)

Tania said...

So Spring had done it's sprunging then? (what with those curtains FINALLY up and all. Big fan of those musical twitterers.

Lucille said...

We enjoyed those finches too despite a very long queue.

Unknown said...

what a lovely day eh? i love those serendipidous moments.