The enigma that is Banksy alive and well

We enjoyed a short trip to London last week, now the Covid restrictions have lifted a little, and as I like this to be a bit of an arty blog I wanted to chat about our visit to the Banksy exhibition while there. It was right next to Covent Garden, where we love to browse, eat sausage rolls and watch street entertainers from a kerbside.

This was an 'unofficial' exhibition as Banksy isn't a fan of anything organised, but the whole event lived and breathed Banksy, with a huge collection owned by private customers, who are keen for the public to view his art, all highly political of course. I'm not sure how clued up the Swiss are about Banksy but I think in the UK we see him as a bit of a Robin Hood type figure, committing his graffiti crime under cover and often during the hours of darkness, in the fight against our corrupt governments and politicians. He has worked with Greenpeace and got involved in local disputes - notably with his Tesco  Petrol Bomb' piece following the Bristol riots which were sparked by yet another superstore blot on the horizon. The police claimed that squat residents were making Molotov cocktails to burn down the store they opposed. All proceeds from the artwork went towards the legal fees of those arrested.

My 14-year-old daughter loved it. It had an 'underground' feel, lots of dark passageways and corridoors. One of Banksy's close friends was chatting away with anecdotes from various screens dotted around the exhibition. And I couldn't help notice a hooded figure in the corner of one particularly dark section. I love how Banksy rolls, he's done so well maintaining his secret identity and creating a real enigma around his actions and passionate yearning to change the world for the better. So here are a few of those pictures - well known and not so well known.

Tesco Petrol Bomb

Turf Wars

Girl with Balloon (red)

Have a Nice Day

Love is in the Air

My Chinese Dragon is ready to fly

This is my latest woodcarving, created to project from the wall. I especially enjoyed creating the swirly eyebrows and whiskers - and of course it had to be finished off with a slap of gold, my go-to colour of the moment. A lick of gold just transforms everything into a more magical kind of being, don't you think?

 

10 Jahre Halle 710 in Hegi

Go FC Winterthur!!

I enjoyed my second ever football match in Switzerland watching FC Winterthur play against SC Kriens yesterday afternoon at the Schützenwiese. As I stood in the sunshine sipping an afternoon beer, listening to the cheers and good-humoured banter all around me, I wondered if there was ever a better way to spend a Sunday afternoon? 

Especially with the end result of 3-0 to enjoy (although it should have been 5-0 – two absolute sitters were missed with a rush of blood to the head!)

We are seriously considering obtaining a season ticket – at around 200 CHF it seems an absolute bargain. Winti FC are in the Challenge League, the second tier of Swiss football. Local football really is the bees-knees. There was no shortage of children there too, so also perfect for familes – and the kids also have their own ‘Syrup corner’ – their own stand with balloons, drums and free drinks!

Match report:

Goal scorers: 11. Harambasic, 61./81. Ballet

My cartooon of Supersub Ballet

A huge 5,100 fans (Winti’s fanbase lords over the other teams in the Challenge League) enjoyed a resounding triumph on the day.

However, despite the easy looking result on paper, it was no easy ride for FCW. Kriens were in fighting spirit, especially in the first half when FCW struggled to maintain the precision required to dominate the game and convert their efforts into goals. Indeed, their first goal advantage was an own-goal by central defender Ivan Harambasic with a deflected a shot from Tobias Schättin. Kriens went on to create a few good chances but thanks to FCW goalie Raphael Spiegel, the hosts held onto a narrow 1-0 lead at half-time. 

The second half brought drama aplenty as fans watched in horror as striker Neftalie Manzambi was stretchered off the field with severe back pain. Fortunately his substitute Samuel Ballet came on with fire in his loins, scoring the second goal in the 61^st minute when he dribbled around the goalie and dinked the ball in from a tight angle. Ballet also scored the third, steaming towards the goal with a beautifully timed midfield pass from Captain Granit Lekaj to find his target with precision. 

Ballet did seem to provide the turning point in this game - he played with great verve and never looked like he was going to miss when one-on-one with the keeper, such was his confidence. In addition, FCW could have easily converted this to 5-0 – two absolute sitters into an open goal failed to materialise to the mirth and amusement of the crowd. Despite the high drama and consternation at times of the fans the result saw them in a forgiving mood as FCW nudged itself back up to second place in the league. With a win on Friday at Vaduz the team will be top dog once more and in fine celebratory mood come the weekend.

fcwinterthur.ch

Match highlights

Happy New Year 2022!

 A little late but actually a little premature for the Chinese New Year (1st Feb) We've had a few days of snow and I caught this beautiful shot while waiting for the bus into Winti one crisp and frosty morning. Mornings like these feel full of hope and I am hopeful for a glorius year - let's keep our fingers crossed that Covid can became a background story rather than headline news in 2022!

Lichterzauber im Königstal

Es war die letzte Nacht des Lichterzauber im Königstal, der seit dem 19. November jeden Freitag- und Samstagabend stattfindet. Es war ein magischer Spaziergang, der nur von Kerzen und Lichterketten mit wunderschönen Lichtinstallationen entlang des Weges beleuchtet wurde. Unter anderem gab es ein Pilzhaus, einen Hai, hypnotisierende Figuren, die in leuchtenden Farben von Blau, Rot und Grün kamen und gingen und eine wunderschöne Lichtinstallation auf dem verschneiten Waldboden. Zum Abschluss gab es eine herzliche Begrüßung mit Feuer, Ambient-Musik und einer Glühweinbar.

Künstler: Nicole Chenevard / Monica Koch, Katharina Henking, Hans Frischknecht, Hubus, LETO, Vivi Linnemann, Ulti, Erwin Schatzmann, Martin Schmid Caiazzo, Kathrin Severin, Marion Strunk, Spike, Conny Wepfer.

Die Inspiration hinter der Ausstellung wird als solche beschrieben:

Im mystischen Königstal kann am Abend ein ca.1km langer Weg begangen werden, durchs Bannholz dem Zellerbach entlang bis Nähe des Giessens, es ist ein winterliches Erlebnis für die ganze Familie, ein Staunen und Sich freuen Lichtobjekte in der Dunkelheit zu entdecken. In der düsteren Jahreszeit, inmitten des Winters, können sich Besucher verzaubern lassen durch die Stimmung im dunklen Wald und die künstlerischen Installationen und Licht-Interventionen welche eine individuelle Poesie entfalten. Die Ausstellung im Wald kann Bezug nehmen zur Geschichte der Umgebung. Ziele der Ausstellung: Einen Diskurs anzustossen zwischen den Besuchern und Künstlern, ein Miteinander, ein Entdecken von Kunst in der Natur, sich Unbekanntem gegenüber öffnen. Kunst erforschen auf einer Freilicht- Bühne, inmitten des nächtlichen Waldes, an einem rauschenden Bach. Das sich verändernde Licht in der Dunkelheit erleben, die sog.“Blaue Stunde“, ein diffuses Dämmerlicht wodurch sich die Sinne öffnen. Dunkelheit, Schatten, Silhouetten, Konturen der Bäume und Geräusche werden intensiver wahrgenommen, wie auch die punktuell erleuchteten künstlerischen Interventionen. Alle Sinne schärfen sich und zugleich werden sie empfindsamer und zentrierter. Der Erlebnisweg sensibilisiert für Natur, Licht und Kunst.

kulturschmittezell.ch

Comic Jam!

We had a great time at the Comic Jam. We made badges, beermats, comic stories, drew pictures out of blobs and painted on windows! There was a wealth of artists from around the city doing their thing....