Good morning, good afternoon and good evening readers,

Well let’s get this god damn show on the road, ya hear! First stop, London.

First day of solo rambling was a hot damn diggidy success. It seems when I get excited I transform into Ned Flanders. So, I found myself a few little gems to go and explore today. I left enough time in between as well with no plan or destination, just to test myself a little too.

I started off at the Fashion and Textile Museum just near London Bridge Underground Station. I have been a fan of Orla Kiely (for those that don’t know, she is a print and fashion designer) for a very long time. I can never afford any of her stuff, so I usually end up buying a pencil or gift box. First world problems. Exhibitions can be best told through images, so here are a few piccies for ya!

I loved this exhibition so much. It was creative, original and the everything was like delicious food for the eyeballs! I have heard of people saying that they feel connected to fashion, but to be honest I never really understood it until I went to this exhibition. I have never felt so understood by animate objects in my entire life. It was like I was in an Orla wonderland where every bag, dress, photograph and design reflected my inner pattern. I wish I could jump right into that aesthetic and never leave. If you like retro or graphic prints, get yourself down to FTM and soak up all that Kiely carisma.

After the exhibition I headed over to St Dunstan In-The-East for a little wander and a gander. St Dunstan In-The-East spoke to me on many levels. Having survived the Great Fire of London, poor re-building and the Blitz, only the part of the church and the North and South walls of the rest remained. The City of London decided to transform the crumbled walls into an amazing and peaceful garden, where people could escape the smog and chaos. It’s not too different to us when you think about it. In life we are crumbled by challenges and life events, but in those blank spaces we have the opportunity to create our own beautiful gardens that will forever grow. I met a lovely homeless guy who had been standing outside the walls for months and only decided today to come inside. Reckons it’ll be his new home. You could definitely live in worse places.

After the peaceful pastures I made my way to Kentish town to go and see a play. The play was called “Mood Kill” and focused on the struggle and stigma that men have to encounter when suffering with a mental illness. It was a spectacular production and accurately portrayed the obstacles we all face when dealing with our minds. The actors were so good, I thought it was their actual personalities. Still not sure if one of the guys was actually from Birmingham or not. The production is a part of Camden Fringe and is worth exploring!

On the way home, I had another chat with a homeless guy. He had a big chunk missing out of his leg and the nurse who treated him said “try and stay off the streets with this”. I think he found that remark rather humorous. When we were chatting one of the train station staff came over to us and was shaking his head at him, he got rather annoyed. I am not surprised though. He was just trying to have a chat with me and I asked him about his leg, he wasn’t doing anything wrong. I hope Charlie is alright.

The Orla Kiely exhibition is still currently running but Mood Kill has unfortunately finished. But I am sure there are other good performances to see.

Orla Kiely: A Life in Pattern 25 May – 23 September
https://www.ftmlondon.org/ftm-exhibitions/orla-kiely-life-in-pattern/

Camden Fringe 30 July – 26 August
https://www.camdenfringe.com/

St Dunstan In-The-East
https://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/things-to-do/green-spaces/city-gardens/visitor-information/Pages/St-Dunstan-in-the-East.aspx 

In kindness,
C x