And just like that, 8 weeks have come and gone. This semester is flying by and I am sad to say that this brings the ART 188 blog to an end. Its seems fitting to be ending with my favorite city: London, England. I have been wanting to visit London since I was 7 years old. I used to have family that lived in Chelsea but I never got the chance to visit when they lived there. Being able to see all the sights and places that I have learned about over the years was truly unexplainable. It was like nothing else seeing Big Ben, Double-decker buses, and the London Eye in person. I was also so surprised at how easy it was to accustom myself to driving on the other (wrong) side of the road. That being said, I was able to see some beautiful art and architecture in this historical city. The first stop on the London tour led me to Big Ben and the British Houses of Parliament.
As you can see, Big Ben is unfortunately under construction and will be for the next four years. Scaffolding surrounds the iconic clock located on the River Thames. Regardless, it does not take away from the Gothic style seen in its pointed towers and darker facade. Built in the 19th century by Sir Charles Barry, this building holds many ancient and modern buildings within it where government operations are orchestrated. This building was originally built out of sand-colored limestone from the Anston Quarry in Yorkshire. The material they chose was the cheapest option and could be supplied in large quantities. Being able to see this iconic building was so cool. All the marketing done for this city includes this building in some way or another. It was amazing to finally see it in real life and how big it truly is.
Another iconic piece of architecture located in the heart of London is the London Eye. It was originally completed in March 2000 and it 443 ft high with a diameter of 394 ft. The geometric shape the wheel has lends to the artistic aspects physically seen from this view. The structure is made out of steel and has about 30 carriages that hold about 15-20 people. It offers some of London's best viewing points and from my experience, you can truly see everything from the very top. This would be considered a piece of contemporary architecture as it was completed during this century. When it was originally built, it was the tallest ferris wheel in the world.
The next stop on the London walking tour was Buckingham Palace. This building houses the current British Monarchs of the United Kingdom and is often seen as a place where citizens look for comfort during times of trouble. It was originally built in 1703 as a private property but has been remodeled over the years to accommodate for the Royal Family. The facade boasts a neoclassical style because of the simplicity of geometric figures and the grandness of the building itself. The columns in the center of the building and the use of blank walls also references this neoclassical style. Once again, still not over seeing where the Queen of England lives and was upset that I did not get to see the changing of the guards as they don't do it as often during the fall months.
The last place we visited was Abbey Road Studios. I aspire to someday work in the music industry so to be able to see such an iconic place in music was breathtaking. This graphic design piece was found in the gift shop located right next to the studios and tributes to The Beatles album, "Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band." British Pop Artist Peter Blake and his wife partnered with Paul McCartney to create this modern piece of art. The piece is supposed to have the band in front with people behind like they had just performed a concert. The audience is made up of people Paul McCartney felt were influential during that like, like Marilyn Monroe and Fred Astaire. I like how The Beatles are dressed in more colorful clothes as to make them the focal point of the piece while the audience in the background is in more neutral colors. A few splashes of color are present within the people as to help distinguish who is who. Even though it was an album cover, they plastered it on the wall of the gift shop in a 3D-like fashion so it could appear bigger. Graphic design is a big part of what I hope to do as a career after college so being able to mix that with some of the biggest entertainment influences is amazing to witness.
