The Crown and Shuttle

Just the other side of Christmas we took that early flight out of Belfast City to Stansted with Ryan Air - the company that put the "shit" into "budshit airlines": shit systems, shit service, surly staff (clearly pissed off by the shit systems they have to use so probably struggle to deliver anything more than that shit service).

Without the focus we had the previous year, this year's trip proved more random so, whether you like it or not, here are the disconnected hightlights:

Reading The Times on the train into town I thought this low energy lightbulb from Hulger looked cool and further investigations revealed their Plumen Project.

Breakfast (again) at Smiths. We love it there.

Fortified, we took a hike over to the Kemistry Gallery to see Eatock's stuff

Now I (at least) really enjoyed this tiny exhibition. I guess there's not much point me pontificating, cleverer people than me have probably said what needs to be said but stand-out pieces included his hand drawn graph paper and those stones that David mentioned.

Then there's that Olympics symbol and his packing tape sculpture. The Converse trainers, slung over a telephone wire made me laugh because I see a pair of trainers slung up every day on my way into work. Daniel's, if you haven't seen them, are hilariously fitted with laces so long they still (almost) reach the ground.

It's Eatock's love of the mundane that I enjoy most, reminds me of Shrigley. Couldn't help wonder if this Post-it note was just a note or actually an exhibit.

On the way back, we passed this brilliant bit of graffiti.

And I really liked these signs.

Then we went shopping and fiddled about in the Apple store, bookmarking Ace Jet on as many iPhones as I could get my hands on.

Finally, this is the fabulous Barbara Hepworth's Winged Figure fixed to the side of John Lewis, which kind of links vaguely with my next post.

Comments

[Charlie Gower]

The graffiti you liked was by Eine...
http://www.einesigns.co.uk

[dave]

Neil was telling me all about your apple iphone hijack...nice one.

[Richard]

Thanks Charlie!

Greetings Dave. Hope you're looking after Mr Orange Peel.

[The Worst of Perth]

Love the "Vandalism".

[Jaypeg]

The graffiti next to Eine's Vandalism is by http://www.thesickboy.com/

Did you not see Eine's huge 'Scary'? round the corner? Or the huge Sickboy house just off Brick Lane? Shorditch is a mine of street art.