... are titles of works by the multi-talented Sonia Delaunay, whose career spanned much of the 20th century. She was a pioneer of paint; a mistress of the applied arts; and ace collaborator with some of the most progressive poets and choreographers of her day - and she was crazy about clothes! This first UK retrospective at Tate Modern has warranted several visits and I shall probably return for one more helping of Delaunay before the exhibition closes on August 9. On this particular visit, I opted for a charming 1920s-style silk shift, but actually a modern piece by Sarah Spencer, in washed sea-green and soft peach, colours which, I think, take their reference from the Bloomsbury Set. My daughter's glamorous gilet, by Lederer, is a jazzy miz of suede and fur, and has abstract patterns cut into it. My trusty canvas bag was bought in Cornwall and the French plimsolls are by Bensimon. A deliciously decadent string of milky-white beads, punctuated by a jade flower, and a pink quartz ring and bracelet, are by my jeweller of choice, Jessica Walker.
Tate Modern is always good for a stroll through its magnificent Turbine Hall: Richard Tuttle's 'I Don't Know'. The Weave of Textile Language is the largest installation by this renowned American sculptor, and the newly commissioned piece thoroughly suits the space. Its arrival coincides with a retrospective of the artist's work at the Whitechapel Gallery. I couldn't resist the chrome yellow walls on the second floor - a sharp contrast to all the black and white I'm wearing - top by Jesiré with sequinned collar and cuffs; Italian trousers by Massimo Rebecchi, with more sequins; and silk sling-backs by Dolce & Gabbana. The vintage fur is from the '70s and the velvet bag, with cane handle, is even older. Up on the second floor at Tate Modern, a retrospective, Alibis: Sigmar Polke 1963-2010 highlights the work of one of the most radical and original artists of the past 50 years, who used an unlikely array of materials and media to work with - from soot and bubble wrap, to potatoes and python, as well as ground dust from a Chilean meteor! This true astronaut of the experimental was also given to wearing his own art - note the image at the entrance to the show - of Polke draped in a litany of archaic German insults called: 'The Large Cloth of Abuse'.
Yesterday was a roller-coaster Good Friday, beginning in
Bermondsey, at the Fashion and Textile Museum for the Artist Textiles: Picasso to Warhol exhibition. After a burst of mid-century prints, time for a snack,
and where else better to go than Borough Market. To finish the day with a view
of The Shard, I called in on Tate Modern, for the magnificent Matisse show: The Cut-Outs. I opted for a statement Karl Donoghue gilet, a new Chloé knit, black
InWear trousers, some old biker boots from Harrods, a pair of Chanel sunnies,
and a vintage Louis Vuitton bag. All in all, a very Good Friday!
What is a stairwell for, if not for a photo opportunity? Beautiful colour-blocking begs for a little pattern - in the form of my finely-striped mono frock coat and further stripes in my funky boots. All else is plainly black - from the InWear skinnies to that rucksack.
http://www.inwear.com/gb/
