V & A

Sarah and I just returned from an afternoon at the Victoria and Albert Museum. The location of our flats gets better everyday, including today, when we realized that the V & A was only a short 15 minute walk down Cromwell Road. The weather was unbelievable today with highs in the upper 50s (fahrenheit that is)- perfect for a Saturday afternoon out.

The admission to the museum was free (which is great because last night a drink was upwards of 8 GBP). We only got around the first floor because the museum is unbelievably large, and because we spent about an hour and a half in the fashion exhibit.

The first exhibit we saw was entitled: Out of the Ordinary: spectacular craft and featured eight contemporary artists (including Ms. Anne Wilson from Chicago) who utilize old and new technologies to being life to the mundane and familiar. I was shocked and amazed by everything that I saw and at one point realized I had been walking around with my mouth gaping open. I don't even want to try to describe some of the pieces for fear that I will marginalize or depreciate their work. Check out the pics.

On our way to the fashion and photography exhibits we were stopped by the sight of the John Madejski Garden, an incredibly romantic courtyard whose lighting highlighted the natural beauty of all that it encompassed. The energy in the area made everyone want to stop and stand still, if only to hold on to the simple calmness that the scenery provoked.

Afterwards, it was on to the fashion exhibit. Unlike the Matthew Williamson collection we saw earlier this week, their collection focused on the history of the industry and the way clothing has evolved over a great span of time. There were some truly timeless pieces, and many fashions that were probably better off forgotten, but still every piece was relevant and appreciated in the totality of the exhibition. No photos there, the lighting wasn't right for it.

We finished up in an exhibit on photography, which was extremely interesting, although didn't have a lot of cohesion for me. I would have preferred a little more direction here, yet the diversity of the photos featured showed a great deal of varied talent in the field.

Since we only hit the first floor, we will be back.