Wednesday 20th January - my second trip to London to see some exhibitions: Alice in Wonderland at the British Library and Shoes: Pleasure & Pain at the V&A.
ALICE IN WONDERLAND
20th November 2015 - 17th April 2016
The British Library is celebrating the 150th anniversary of 'Alice's Adventures in Wonderland'. Alice's story began on a boat trip in 1862, that Dodgson took with his friend Robinson Duckworth and the 3 daughter's of Henry Liddell, where he told the story of 'Alice's Adventures Underground' to the girls as they rowed up the Thames to Godshaw. The youngest of the girls, Alice Liddell, asked Dodgson to write down the story for her to keep. Two years later in 1864, he presented the girl with the handwritten and hand-illustrated story. Dodgson was urged to publish the story, so he rewrote and added two chapters to the book, before publishing it in 1865 under the name Lewis Carroll.
The exhibition guides you through Alice's history, beginning with how she was born (see above) and guiding the viewer through the various adaptations and appropriations throughout the years since Carroll's book was first published. From further alterations of the book, to film adaptations, paintings and souvenirs, the British Library has information on everything that you need to know about Alice and her different formations.
The British Library is celebrating the 150th anniversary of 'Alice's Adventures in Wonderland'. Alice's story began on a boat trip in 1862, that Dodgson took with his friend Robinson Duckworth and the 3 daughter's of Henry Liddell, where he told the story of 'Alice's Adventures Underground' to the girls as they rowed up the Thames to Godshaw. The youngest of the girls, Alice Liddell, asked Dodgson to write down the story for her to keep. Two years later in 1864, he presented the girl with the handwritten and hand-illustrated story. Dodgson was urged to publish the story, so he rewrote and added two chapters to the book, before publishing it in 1865 under the name Lewis Carroll.
The exhibition guides you through Alice's history, beginning with how she was born (see above) and guiding the viewer through the various adaptations and appropriations throughout the years since Carroll's book was first published. From further alterations of the book, to film adaptations, paintings and souvenirs, the British Library has information on everything that you need to know about Alice and her different formations.
SHOES: PLEASURE & PAIN
13th June 2015 - 31st January 2016
Shoes are an important element within society and culture, and have been for many years. They express one's personality and passion, as well as reveal their position in society, before becoming a note of aspiration to elevate your status. Shoes represent different ideas of beauty amongst different cultures which have developed and changed over the years. For example, bound feet at a total of 7.6cm was the suggested ideal and alluring length for a woman's foot in China, and in today's western society, the red sole of a Christian Louboutin shoe is often desired.
Held at the V&A, the exhibition was held in a circular room filled with glass cabinets filled with various shoes. It took you through various elements of shoe wearing on the bottom floor of the exhibition, from transformation and signal of status, through to the seduction behind shoes and the need to follow trends. Upstairs, the exhibition shows the viewer how shoes are made and created, along with video footage of shoe icons - Manolo Blahnik, Marc Hare and Christian Louboutin (shoe designers), and Caroline Groves and Sandra Choi (shoe maker and creative director) - talking about how they design and sell their shoes.
Shoes are an important element within society and culture, and have been for many years. They express one's personality and passion, as well as reveal their position in society, before becoming a note of aspiration to elevate your status. Shoes represent different ideas of beauty amongst different cultures which have developed and changed over the years. For example, bound feet at a total of 7.6cm was the suggested ideal and alluring length for a woman's foot in China, and in today's western society, the red sole of a Christian Louboutin shoe is often desired.
Held at the V&A, the exhibition was held in a circular room filled with glass cabinets filled with various shoes. It took you through various elements of shoe wearing on the bottom floor of the exhibition, from transformation and signal of status, through to the seduction behind shoes and the need to follow trends. Upstairs, the exhibition shows the viewer how shoes are made and created, along with video footage of shoe icons - Manolo Blahnik, Marc Hare and Christian Louboutin (shoe designers), and Caroline Groves and Sandra Choi (shoe maker and creative director) - talking about how they design and sell their shoes.
The above exhibitions were both insightful and interesting to visit. I learnt a lot about the history of Alec in Wonderland, and a lot about the origins and reasoning behind shoes and their designs. Going forward, reviews will be written about the exhibitions that I visited.
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