Shaking Pedestals – David Hoyle at The Tate

David Hole at The Tate Modern with Picasso

There’s a cliché that people in designer clothes attend art galleries to appreciate the Greats, making worthy appraisals while stroking their chins. David Hoyle arrives in front of a Picasso in a dress made of pens and all hushed reverence is drowned by laughter from an audience who are eager to see the great works through David’s eyes. There are even a few clichés amongst us, caught up in the crowd and slightly bemused as they are swept along in a refreshingly surreal tour of the famous gallery.

David Hoyle at the Tate Modern
“I’m interested to know what the girl who modelled for this actually looked like,” says David regarding the Picasso before us, voicing our own unconscious, secret thoughts. It’s this delicious rebellion against the unthinking, accepted perception of art that unites us all as we move from one piece to another.

David Hoyle at The Tate Modern

“This one is very…blue,” says David, unable to contain his own mirth and moves swiftly on. “Next!” A Henry Moore-style sculpture is similarly presented. “I wonder if this piece came out of the kiln looking quite how the artist expected it to?” But this isn’t irreverence for the sake of it: David is an accomplished artist himself and goes on to do a painting of a member of the audience right before our eyes and donates the work to the gallery.

David Hoyle donates a painting to the Tate

‘What does this make you think of?” asks David, indicating a plastic plant spray in a glass display case with what appears to be a selection from the B&Q gardening range. “Arts Council grants,” I reply a little too quickly. Scathing, hilarious and thought-provoking, David Hoyle himself is perhaps the most striking piece in the Tate. Crackling with spontaneous wit, he is an unpredictable splash of colour, the painted shaker of pedestals.

Mark Wallis and David Hoyle at The Tate

David Hoyle can be found on Facebook.

Categories: Art, Photography, Vibe Monitor | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Blooming Autumn

Autumn flower in the city

It’s the first day of Autumn, but the sun’s till shining!

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Knob Creek and Bubbles

Knob creek whiskey label

Sounds like a minor complaint…

San Carlo Italian restaurant manchester dessert

Ice cream heaven at San Carlo

Sunglasses window display Louis Vuitton Manchester

Louis Vuitton, Manchester

Giant Bubble Blower market street manchester

Giant bubbles blown in Market Street

louis Vuitton window display manchester

More Louis Vuitton

Packaging food hall Harvey Nichols Manchester

Booze Box, Harvey Nichols

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David’s Birthday Cruise


Pimm’s ahoy! We all piled onto a barge at Boothstown marina in Salford and went on a cruise for David’s birthday.  There was a party on board, with booze, bumps and bridges along the way. We whistled at hunky firemen and scared the ducks.  Almost a perfect day!

Barge Tyre See also Canal Motif

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Secret Doors of the World

Door Oia Santorini Greece

Little House, Oia, Santorini, Greece.

I’ve found myself in some strange places. Camera in hand, partner and tourists rolling their eyes: it’s a door. Why is that man taking pictures of a door? I love the stuff that other people walk straight past.

Rusting door castlefield manchester

Rusting door, Castlefield, Manchester

It’s the mystery, the history, the peeling paint and the rust. Forgotten locks and handles, or maybe some overwrought filigree. To me, the texture of weathered neglect is beautiful.

weathered wall and iron gate santorini greece

Weathered wall and iron gates, Santorini, Greece

When the sleeve gets tugged I say ‘Go and flick through Facebook in the café – I’ve found something fascinating…’ There are hidden wonders to be found if you wander from the beaten track.

Hacienda Barcelona

Haçienda, Barcelona

Coming back from Parc Güell above Barcelona, I spotted this charming little haçienda and in my mind, I bought it and moved in straight away.

Art Nouveau Door Brussels

Fantastic Art Nouveau shop door, Brussels.

As beautiful as Brussels is, I could have spent all day in Grote Markt and missed this elaborate example of Art Nouveau architecture which was hiding down a side street. I stopped the traffic to get this shot, while the horns hooted.

Categories: Photography, Random, Travel, Vibe Monitor | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , | 34 Comments

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