New Installation at Turner Contemporary Gallery Margate

Outside the Turner Contemporary Gallery in Margate. artist Krijn de Koning has made a site specific installation. I really like the work which is called Dwelling (Margate/Folkestone)  and consists of a series of walls in different colours making room like spaces.

The second installtion is in Folkestone as part of the Folkestone Triennial, which I haven't seen yet. Folkestone Triennial website here

I like the changing views as you walk around the space, all the colours and the shadows changing the colours too. The cut outs in the walls frame views around the gallery too and a glimpse of the sea.

The work is described on the Turner Contemporary website. link here

 "Dwelling (Margate / Folkestone) has a strong sense of place, having been conceived for two different locations in Kent. Both sites have a strong connection through their coastal locations and history as popular destinations for leisure and tourism during the 19th and 20th centuries. 

What both sites have in common is an attempt at providing some sort of protection or shelter: the fake Victorian caves or grottoes on the one hand, versus the hard-edged contemporary architecture of Turner Contemporary on the other. Both sites lend themselves to this notion of a ‘dwelling’, which in turn plays with the traditional idea of seaside pavilions and beach huts, a common feature of the UK coast. "

Broadstairs Folk Week

The annual Folk Week at Broadstairs went ahead a short while ago. Website here I really enjoy the atmosphere there on the streets. The Morris dancers were taking turns along the promenade with musicians and dancers.

One of the hobby horses dressed in tatters was being stopped by children, who enjoyed seeing him move his wooden mouth.

In the old shelters, groups of musicians were jamming together and clog dancers danced alongside.

There were craft, food and other stalls near the bandstand where the daily activities for families was taking place.

Quite a lot of us rushed for the marquees when we had a brief but heavy shower of rain.

Most of the day time performances were taking place in pubs this year, which was a bit of a shame I think. It would be good to have some in cafés and perhaps in the bandstand or outside.

The Chimney Boys were playing in one of the hotel gardens later in the afternoon so I stood nearby to listen to them. Their facebook link here
The beach filled up with people during the afternoon enjoying themselves in the sunshine.

Oyster Festival at Whitstable

Whitstable's annual Oyster Festival opened last weekend with the Landing of the Oysters  and their blessing by the  Rev Simon Tillotson from St Peters Church, the seafarers church in Whitstable, which recocnizes St. James of Compostela, the patron saint of Oystermen.

Many thousands of people come to the festival which has a week long programme of events. Festival website here

The tide was in for the landing of the oysters and I was struck by how close the various boats were to the shore. I also had a sense of how lovely it must be  for all the children and youngsters in boats enjoying themselves.

After the blessing of the oysters the cart and clergy and dignitaries joined the parade through the town.  Some great paper mache heads and fish and the two giant figures along with a wonderful steam punkish  metal crustacean vehicle.

Along the harbour were hundreds of stalls, most with food and drink for all the crowds. There were the longest ques at the oyster stalls, which seems right as it was an oyster festival. 

It was very busy  and very hot, I needed to cool off in the small areas of shade  every so often.
But I enjoyed the atmosphere, the parade and seeing the landing of the oysters.