Hyde Park

Gustav's girlfirend got a job at the Serpentine Gallery[a] in Hyde park, and I went there to check it out. The gallery is very small (if you're used to places like the National Gallery), but can pack quite a lot of stuff into its small area. They have also extended the main gallery building by an inflatable pavilion (shaped like a balloon). When I was there they had an exhibition of contemporary American artists.

A "Mission Accomplished" banner hung on the outside of the gallery. Inside the exhibitions decried the consumerism and the focus on material wealth of the US.

I don't know where to begin, but I think I can summarize my feelings by saying that there was nothing new in there. Traditional American left-wing politics with the tunnel vision turned up to 11. Big deal. I thought art was about widening your horizons.

I'd illustrated this with some pictures, but for all their leftism, you weren't even allowed to take a picture of a stuffed duck that wasn't even part of the exhibition. "Material wealth bad", anyone?

Anyway, Hyde Park does have some neat sights:

​2006-09-15 11:59

​Hyde Park, London 2006-09

Small cottage near the Marlborough gate.

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​Hyde Park, London 2006-09

Same cottage, different angle.

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​Hyde Park, London 2006-09

Hyde park inhabitant.

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​Hyde Park, London 2006-09

The Albert Memorial between Queen's gate and Alexandra gate near the south-south-west edge of the park.

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​Hyde Park, London 2006-09

The Fountains near Lancaster Gate.

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​Hyde Park, London 2006-09

The north end of The Long Water near The Fountains. The Long Water becomes The Serpentine about half a kilometer south.