Friday 28 August 2015

Mucha Exhibition 2015 Bournemouth

Hello Sentimentals in the world! :)

Alphonse Mucha, for me, he is an artists, whose work is well known for everyone once they look at it, but almost no-one knows his name and who he was. He doesn't have a life-story to be remembered, like the tragic Toulouse-Lautrec's, however Mucha was there too in Paris! He was famous for creating his beautiful art nouveau master piece posters! He was famous, he was big and people were crazy about his posters too, since the first time his posters appeared in the streets of Paris!

His posters were so beautiful and well known that people were stealing his posters off the walls. Amusing enough for me, that a century ago people did the same, just like these days . Think about what's happening to some famous graffiti artists' work....the walls disappear from the street...or it reminded me and a friend of mine washing off a poster in Camden that we were really hooked on!

Alphonse Mucha is the featured exhibition now in the Russell-Coates Gallery in Bournemouth. Although the exhibition expands into 2 rooms of the gallery, it lines up the more famous works of Mucha touching upon different branches of his works, such as his packaging design (ranging from biscuits to perfumes), photography or magazine illustrations. Some of his sketches are on display as well and in the 2nd room a lengthy video tells you the milestones of his lifetime.
The Gallery even thought about the adventurous or the smaller ones, with some flower headbands and bouquets in a box where you can try them on, pose in the mirror in front of you and imagine you are one of the 'Mucha-girls'. Quite fun! :)

The below image shows his very first poster that made him famous, being so unique! Sarah Bernhardt is the actress who played Gismonda, and later became his muse!

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Gismonda by Mucha

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Alphone Mucha selfportrait

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Sarah Bernhardt, then gave him more work! More theatrical posters and designs were to be made and all by Mucha!

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Theatrical posters by Mucha


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La Trappistine by Mucha, 1897

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Lorenzaccio by Mucha, 1896


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Mucha's works were also wellknown and sought after in advertising and packaging designs.


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Lance Parfum Rodo by Mucha, 1896


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Mucha Poster

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Mucha poster

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Biscuit boxes by Mucha



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In the 2nd room of the Mucha exhibition some of his series, photographs and many of his pattern designs and sketches are displayed along with a short film about his life and its milestones.

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Russell-Cotes Gallery inside


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I loved to see in real life this 'Flower series' by Mucha. You can find 'Rose', 'Iris', 'Carnation' and 'Lily'

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Flower Series by Mucha, 1898


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Rose by Mucha, 1898


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Another great series were on display. The Seasons!


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Russell-Cotes Gallery inside

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This small compared to the other bigger pictures was as detailed as the bigger counterparts and as beautiful as the others were.

Spring        *        Summer        *        Autumn         *         Winter


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The seasons by Mucha, 1896

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Winter and Summer by Mucha, 1896
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Feather! - another favourite of mine!


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Feather by Mucha, 1899


Some of his sketches are also on display.


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Mucha's sketches and pattern studies

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The 10th Anniversary of the independence of Republic of Czechoslovakia, where the young woman represents the young country.
Can you see the different shields on the head? Is that a Hungarian shoudle with the double cross and 3 hills on the red background?


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10th Anniversary of the independence of Republic of Czechoslovakia by Mucha, 1928

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Well this could be me...the title is Rêverie, which means Daydream...and if you look at the eyes of this daydreaming woman...you will understand it immediately. Beautiful!



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Rêverie by Mucha, 1897

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Rêverie by Mucha, 1897

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The Zodiac is one if his most popular designs! No wonder why!


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Zodiac by Mucha, 1896




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Beautiful poster advertising the new railway to Monaco.


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Monaco Monte-Carlo poster by Mucha, 1897


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What: Alphonse Mucha Exhibition - In Quest of Beauty
Where: Russell-Cotes Gallery, Bournemouth
When: until 27th September
Price: £3.5 - £5 (includes other parts of the museum too)
Length: I stayed in (was in a rush) 1h 20m
Worth it? --> Totally!!!! 
Tips: Monday is closed
You are allowed to take photos, but no flash and the light is a bit dim.

Sunday 23 August 2015

Bournemouth - South West England

This was the first time I went to Bournemouth and it was such a pleasurable experience! I am taking advantage of the South West Train summer promotion which covers 170 stations day return tickets for only 20£. Well in terms of price it is not worth it if you just go to somewhere close, but Bournemouth was far enough to really take advantage of it!

And boy, Bournemouth is such an idyllic, clean city with friendly people!

I bought a daily bus pass in order to save time on walking, but it turned out things were not so far from each other. It is not London in the end :) so I could have just walked as well.

I did not really know what exactly to do in Bournemouth other than the beach, but asking couple of friendly people, I was on the right track!


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Bournemouth The Gardens with the Balloon in the air



First, I approached the beach, which was completely empty early in the morning….and strangely at around 10am, within 10 minutes the temperature increased so rapidly…that in no time I had to get rid of my jacket and cardi, to only be in a sleeveless top! This was the time when loads of people started to arrive as well! 



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Bournemouth Pier



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Bournemouth Beach

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Bournemouth Beach


So cute, there is a little land train you can take a ride with! There are actually 2-3, but I think this is fun if you are with kids, otherwise I'd suggest to walk to enjoy the view more.


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Bournemouth Beach with the landtrain



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Bournemouth Beach

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Bournemouth Beach


Yes, walk...for example to enjoy these colourful cute beach huts to keep all your beach gears in them!



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Colourful beach huts at Bournemouth beach


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Colourful beach huts at Bournemouth beach

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Colourful beach huts at Bournemouth beach

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Colourful beach huts at Bournemouth beach

Else, you could stay in one of the many hotels lining the beach!



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Beach-side hotel in Bournemouth

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Beach-side hotel in Bournemouth

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Beach-side hotel in Bournemouth



The people of Bournemouth were very proud of their Gardens too! Anybody I talked to made me promise to walk through the Gardens!
Beautiful flowers, a small stream, green everywhere, ice cream stalls, a mini golf court and a balloon not only advertising that insurance company, but constantly taking people up to get the best view! It cost around 12£ and lasts for 12 minutes in the air! :)




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The Gardens in Bournemouth

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The Gardens in Bournemouth




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The Gardens in Bournemouth

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The Gardens in Bournemouth


I also liked these little colourful jars! There were many! Hundreds maybe even thousands! All of them lit when it is the summer light evenings organised almost weekly or fortnightly throughout the summer.



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Evening of the lights lanterns in Bournemouth Gardens


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The Gardens in Bournemouth

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Flowers from Bournemouth Gardens


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Bournemouth Towncentre

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Bournemouth Towncentre


I also went into the Russell-Coates Art Gallery and Museum, which has a special exhibition on Mucha! Stay tuned for the post about this exhibition with lots of pictures!!!!




Tuesday 18 August 2015

The Roof Gardens in Kensington

Unbelievable, but the Roof Gardens as the name suggests indeed is on top of a building on High Street Kensington and it is there since the 1930s.
The people commissioned this vast work at the time might have wanted to follow and recreate the idea of the hanging gardens of Babylon and I must say it bloody well turned out!

It's on the top of the building of the Gap Store and the entry is from Derry street, although it still belongs to 99 High Street Ken!
Before you go there you need to call them to see if it is open or not, because the garden is booked for many events during the year from wedding and birthdays to film shooting or award evenings and celebrity balls!

Once you knew when it is open just turn up, sign in and head to the lift that takes you to the 6th floor and exiting the lift and going through the Cafe/Brasserie on that level you finally reach paradise! I am not joking! This little green island in the middle of a concrete jungle of our super busy and dense capital: London.


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Spanish Garden



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Spanish Garden


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Flowers in The Roof Gardens

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Flowers in The Roof Gardens


When I was here I totally forgot that I was in London! Beautiful flowers, palm trees in the Spanish gardens! Lots of roses and callas everywhere in the Tudor garden and a wild woodland garden with a small pond/stream. On top of all of these, flamingos will walk freely around you. They seem to be very people friendly.


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Flamingos of The Roof Gardens


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Flowers in The Roof Gardens

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Flamingos of The Roof Gardens

Another good thing is that even though it has the beautiful Babylon restaurant on the top and the cafe on garden level. It is TOTALLY FREE and you are welcome to bring your own food, drink, book to read or camera to take photos! Or just relax on one of the sofas, there for you or for couples in love!


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Spanish Garden

The_Roof_Gardens_Kensington
Spanish Garden

Call them on 0207 937 7994 and don't miss out on this amazing FREE opportunity to visit while you are in London! Don't miss out!!

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Spanish Garden

You can also go there in the evening for around 20£ to enter the world of beautiful and glamorous peeps of London!

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