Exhibition: Sergio Strozzi - The Perfect Moment

Tonight, I was with London Social and Cultural Meetups, first time in months - we were going to a photo exhibition at Estorick. I just hoped they could facilitate backpacks, as I had to drag mine to the office today.

Man, I hate dragging that bag around with me - and the walk from the bus was exhausting. Mercifully, almost the first thing I saw when I got in the door were lockers! which turned out to be free - even better. I got myself a ticket, then deposited my stuff. Chose a slice of cake and a glass of wine - which was very welcome. We all sat outside after arriving, chatting - someone had something like a toastie, which I should probably have gone for - I didn't peruse the menu closely enough. Never mind..

The bulk of the artwork housed here is upstairs, and comprises a permanent exhibition of Italian art - what we'd come to see was on the ground floor, where we started. Sergio Strizzi was a still photographer on film sets - meaning he got to photograph film celebrities - and although I wasn't familiar with many of the films, the results are striking, to this day - we also had fun playing Spot the Celebrity. Here's Anthony Perkins, for instance:

Pardon the reflections in this one - they were hard to avoid - but regardless, isn't this a great angle?

Many of the photographs are from a fascinating-sounding film called The Last Judgement (Il Giudizio Universale), in which a voice from the skies advises the Neapolitans that the Last Judgement will take place that evening - the film then maps their various reactions:

Turns out Roald Dahl wrote the screenplay for You Only Live Twice - the first film mentioned in the exhibition that I'd actually seen!

Michael Caine, on set with director John Huston:

There was an array of interesting photos from his travels - this one from Algeria:

Plenty of Sophia Loren - here, she's signing autographs:

The final section is given over to "divas":

Fascinating exhibition - and obviously a great talent. Runs to the 8th of September, if you want to catch it. We went upstairs after, to see the other exhibitions - honestly, I wasn't as interested though. Until I came across an explanatory panel about the artist's activity during the Second World War:

In particular, I was taken with the description of "Salo", a "violent, divisive and short-lived puppet regime" established by the Nazis in the north of Italy, in a town of the same name. And obviously - to those of us familiar with it - the inspiration for the highly disturbing Pasolini film of the same name..

Anyway, afterwards most of us repaired to the Canonbury Tavern - only the second time I've ever been there, the first being nearly two years ago, with "Civilised London", before my relationship with them turned sour.. en route, we passed the pleasant Canonbury House:

and the Tudor-era Canonbury Tower!

At the pub, I had a very nice fish n chips - with far too many chips, to be fair. Came with a whole array of sauces - the usual tartare sauce and mushy peas, but also a bowl of curry sauce on the side! and a slice of lemon. And with a terrific soundtrack of old pop songs, it was an excellent choice for the evening.

Tomorrow, I'm back to Ireland for the bank holiday weekend. And wouldn't you know it, not a single film showing in the afternoons that I'm interested in seeing - I can't do evenings. Oh well, a quiet one for me then - I could do with it!

On Tuesday, another of those cheap ticket talks - this one is by Asne Seierstad, and is at The Conduit, on the subject of Afghanistan under Taliban rule. A How To Academy event, and quite expensive if you don't go with seat fillers..

On Wednesday, back with London Literary Walks at last - my Wednesdays are just so busy! This is a walk about Island Records - U2's old label, so of course I have an interest.. We're meeting in The Elgin.

And next Thursday, back with London Hot 100 - we're at the New Wimbledon Theatre for Jimmy Carr Laughs Funny. So the laptop will be going on a little trek..