Hospital art and more, of course!

Hello on the first Friday of the year 2013!

I just downloaded pictures from the last four days. Today, I took a few snaps at Charing Cross Hospital in Fulham Palace Road and then in King's Street, Hammersmith.

The route to the Outpatients' Clinic leads up the escalator and as you ascend, your eyes meet four large pictures representing agricultural scenes like this one:

Then, on the way back,  as the escalator takes you down, you can enjoy the colourful stained glass window beside it:

 Escalators... I remember, when I was a child, the teacher told us to think of some invention and I, probably inspired by the 'moving stairs', wrote about 'moving pavements' in the streets. Then, a few years later I saw this idea materialised albeit on a small scale at some big airports. They go very slowly. In my vision, the 'moving pavements' would replace cars in busy city centres. There would be two lines in the ordinary streets, just as it is now, with traffic going in opposite directions, regulated by traffic lights. Problems with parking space would disappearand there would be no waiting for public transport and no need to carry heavy loads of shopping. Such was my imaginary invention.:-)

Leaving the hospital, I stopped to look at the exhibition of photographs of artists by Jorge Lewinski.  From the biographical note I gathered that he was born in Lwow, Poland, now Ukraine and lived through the Russian occupation, internment and forced labour in Siberia, joined the Polish forces and served in the Allied Army in the Middle East and was sent to Britain to train in the RAF. Having studied economics, he developed a keen interest in photography and turned professional specialising in portraits of fellow artists and celebrities. Then, for many years he lectured at an art school telling his students: 'Don't look only at the face, always look behind.' I've just discovered that here: http://www.jorgelewinski.com/jorge_lewinski_biography.html

Oh, it's just occured to me that I have a friend of the same surname, Lewinski,  who comes from Poland. I'd like to ask her if she might be related to the late photographer.... That would be a small world....  And, there was another woman with this name in the US presidential circles!

Hurriedly, I took one picture of the exhibited works. I do not know who the bearded man in the picture below is. In order to find out, I'd need to go back and check it on a list provided on the other side of the exhibition area. No trouble recognising the woman.:-) Her Majesty's portrait must be the product of his hands! :-)

Finally, I made it outside, despite some obstruction: the revolving doors were not working and the 'press the button' ones were slightly hesitant. Do you know this uncomfy feeling, when you are stuck and aware of people gathering impatiently behind you? Luckily, it didn't take long and I could stop leisurely and take a picture of Henry Moore's sculpture protruding from the water.



The next snap was of  newly painted pub railings reminding me of Alfons Mucha, Jozef Mehoffer and Stanislaw Wyspianski...

Then, in the distance, I caught sight of The Ark. I think I wrote about it a month or so ago.:-)

Just off King's Street in Hammersmith I went past a few ethnic food stalls. From the past I remembered that the farmer's market there was held on Thursday, not on Fridays, but things can change.:-)

This picture I took at The British Heart Foundation shop and I'm dedicating it to all cat lovers! :-)

BTW, there was a moment of some blue sky weather around midday, but I failed to capture it. The phone needed charging...

Back to work now!

:-)