Visiting the Museums – Original Painting
About the Image:
Revisiting an old Painting
During the school holidays, this tunnel is always busy. It’s the route to Museum Road in London. This is how you get to the Natural History Museum, Science Museum, the Victoria and Albert Museum from station when visiting the museums. This is my second version of this image. The first is much smaller, as you can see below, so the detail is harder to see, but it captures the essence.
This is one of the exits, photographed in passing, as I went with my family to the Natural History Museum. The resulting painting is lighter than I’d imagined a feature of the process, and one I’ve learned to embrace. The golden brickwork partially responsible for this glow. The contrasting light is what drew me to the image. That and the fabulous Iron Gates. Circle inspired, it’s a great eye watching over the visitors and travellers. I wonder if it was intentional?
So much of the architecture in this area is brimming with details. It’s hard to discover what any of the creators had in mind. The depth of creative expression is so strong, it spills over into every tiny detail, no matter how insignificant a role it might have in the structure and use of the building.
I find this attention to detail fascinating and also reassuring for, no matter how I might view it aesthetically, I’m sure this attention to detail is behind its survival for so many years. And will continue to contribute to its ongoing survival.
Such structures are more than a repository or a tunnel. They are the backdrop of collective memories of childhood and family experiences too numerous to mention.
Like the group at the bottom of the stairs. I think they are together? The figure bending and listening to the small child as the mother or the child is with a partner or friend or carer and I wonder what she’s saying to him. They’re obviously returning home after a visit to the museums. I wonder what they saw?
Creation: Masking fluid is painted onto watercolour paper to create an image. This is covered with a watercolour wash and covered with clingfilm. The picture is further developed using acrylic inks once the film is removed. The masking is removed after several layers are added and allowed to dry. Revealing the final picture.
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