Culture Club

Yesterday the two Lizzes, Liz's sister, Ruth (not pictured) and I went to The Rep in Birmingham to see Coming To England, the stage play based on Floella Benjamin's early life. 

In 1960, at the age of 10, Floella, along with her 11 year old older sister and two of their younger brothers sailed unaccompanied from Trinidad to be reunited with the rest of her family in England. Two weeks later they arrive in a cold and unfriendly London. Despite being aimed at children, the play makes no bones about the racism and bigotry the family experienced but with Floella's trademark joyfulness the overall message is that courage and determination can always overcome adversity and we left the theatre with big smiles on our faces.

SOURCE

Baroness Floella Benjamin OBE is probably best known for her appearances in the iconic children's TV series Playschool and PlayAway but you can find out more HERE. Coming to England, the book on which the stage play is based has been used in schools to help tell the story of the Windrush Generation. 

Ravenous, we headed to York's, recently relocated from Stephenson Street to Paradise Circus, for lunch with all three of us opting for Moroccan avocado toast with hummus, pink pickled onion, coriander, avocado, Aleppo & urfa chilli and dukkha served on focaccia bread. Delicious!

Neither Liz had been to Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery since it had re-opened following its refurbishment. It's a regular haunt for Nikki & I but I'm always happy to reacquaint myself with its many treasures. 

Benny's Babbies by Cold War Steve, the genius Brummie satirist, find him HERE.

The wonderful Benjamin Zephaniah, one of Birmingham's greatest sons. RIP Benji. 

We caught the train back to Walsall and popped into Spoons where we met up with Jon. After a pint we met up with Liz's husband Al outside the New Art Gallery, which was throwing a party to celebrate its 25th birthday party. 

Courtesy of Phil Buckley

Before the speeches we had a wander around, checking out some of the new exhibits and reacquainting ourselves with the Garman-Ryan collection comprising 365 artworks created by the key artists of the 19th & 20th Centuries including Picasso, Van Gogh, Monet, Turner and Degas. The collection was bequeathed by the sculptor Jacob Epstein's widow, Kathleen Garman who was born in nearby Wednesbury and the American sculptor, Sally Ryan, to the people of Walsall. We grew up with these pieces and have visited them throughout our lives. Being a Walsall girl I can proudly say that I own an original Burne-Jones, a Picasso and a Rosetti. 

This little bronze Study of a Cat by Jacob Epstein (1920) is one of my favourite pieces.

Here's our Picasso...

Second Portrait of Isobel by Jacob Epstein (1933)

Our Modigliani....

Jon between two sketches by Theodore Garman (1924 - 1954).

Tamil poet, freedom fighter and friend of the people of Walsall, Rabindranath Tagore by Jacob Epstein.

Another work by Jacob Epstein, Esther With Long Hair.

Our benefactor, Katherine Garman immortalised by Lucien Freud.

Dante Gabriel Rosetti's study of his wife, the artist Elizabeth Siddal.

Despite his tragic life, Theodore Garman's work was always so colourful and full of joy,

The Martinique by Sally Ryan.Walsall is the only UK museum to feature her work.

Laura Ford's Beast.

Tracey Emin...

Polly Morgan's Myocardial Infarction.

Study for the Pygmalion series by William Byrne-Jones.

My mum and probably thousands of others had this Pierre Bonnard print on their walls in the 1970s, here's the 1894 original.

Jacob Epstein, Study for Rock Drill

One of several works by Albrecht Durer

Mine (and Liz's) personal favourite, the heart-breaking Sorrow by Vincent Van Gogh. Produced in 1882, Van Gogh claimed this sketch of pregnant 32 year old Sien was the best figure I've drawn. Its been part of our lives since we were schoolgirls and it's still utterly captivating. 

Pinched from Liz HERE

After an uplifting performance by Blue Lights Choir, we treated ourselves to wine and pizza in the foyer of The Light, our town's Indie cinema. 

What a fabulous day!