In this post, similarly to my post 'Places to Visit in Nottingham' I have put together a few places worth visiting in the area of Newcastle and a certain art exhibition I went to see today which is on until the end of January. I hope you enjoy!
Laing Art Gallery
During my visit to the Laing Art Gallery I came across an exhibition called The Mexican Mafia and Me by Lyn Hagan which is showing now until the 31st January 2016.
'The Mexican Mafia and Me' by Lyn Hagan
'The Mexican Mafia and Me' by Lyn Hagan is an exhibition based on the life of Tony, formerly known as George Anthony Hernandez, who was a hit-man and previously part of the Mexican Mafia. Tony is currently on Death Row in San Quentin State Prison for his murder of fellow gang member Jorj Ortiz. A crime he committed in order to gain a higher ranking in the Mexican Mafia he belonged to and due to fear from those higher than him.
Lyn Hagan, the artist and Tony were pen pals throughout his sentencing and it was Tony's letters that influenced Hagan to create such a powerful exhibition surrounding a narrative so chilling and unimaginable.
During his imprisonment, Tony communicated through the source of artwork to tell stories about his life before prison and what he experienced throughout his sentence. Arguably, this was Tony's way of dealing with the strains of facing the reality of never being able to walk as a innocent, free man again.
One aspect of the exhibition which I was intrigued by was the embroidered garment covered in text and an unsettling image located on the torso within the silhouette of the garment. This embroidered female garment arguably represents all the women who have played some role within Tony's situation. Therefore, the dress symbolises Tony's past and present experiences with women and connotes elements of affection and sensitivity within Tony personality regardless of his unforgiving crime.
One of Tony's drawing during his imprisonment
The Baltic
The Baltic, located on the South Bank of the River Tyne, is Newcastle's home to all things contemporary. The industrial centre does not have any permanent exhibitions but instead, it offers their space to artists who want to showcase their artwork temporarily. Therefore, the centre provides a calendar of dynamic exhibitions filled with innovating and diverse messages that change frequently.
Exhibitions:
BILL MURRAY: a story of distance, size and sincerity
11 December 2015 – 10 April 2016
Not only is The Baltic worth visiting to see the contemporary art, but it is also across the river from the Quayside which is a great place to dine and go for a walk in the summer.
The Biscuit Factory
The Biscuit Factory is another centre for contemporary art located in the creative quarter of Newcastle. The renovated old Victorian warehouse offers fine art, sculpture, prints, jewellery, designer homeware and quality art and crafts. Not only that, but they also have a shop where you can purchase art and craft's equipment, books and creative pieces for your home. Personally, I prefer the Biscuit Factory to the Baltic because there is more of a homely vibe that you feel when you first walk in. Furthermore, although there are still exhibitions going on, you are able to roam free between art work and there are no pressures to where you must go first and instead, you can enjoy their range of eclectic art as you wander around the centre.
Just another thing I will add, this centre has nothing to do with biscuits. A naïve assumption I had before my first visit.
Winter exhibition - 13th November - 3rd March 2016
Painter Georgina McMaster, is the leading artist for the current winter exhibition where she has displayed oil paintings of birds, stags, hares and reindeers to portray wildlife and nature.
Eye Spy by Georgina McMaster
Rosemary by Georgina McMaster
Lola Jeans
Lola Jeans is one of my favourite restaurants to dine in Newcastle. As a restaurant the food they offer is of extremely high quality and tastes great. However, what I really wanted to talk about is their vintage shabby chic interior and décor. For someone who is deeply interested in interior design, this place is a dream to walk into and revel in their purposely mismatched furniture, exposed brick work and use of old pre owned books as receipt holders. My favourite part of the restaurant is this magnificent multi-coloured skull mural that dominates the back wall, surveying its clientele and adding a hipster touch to the venue.
The Botanist
The Botanist is another great dinner venue in Newcastle, but one with a nature and botanical theme of décor. The interior in this restaurant is filled with old antiques and reclaimed up cycled furnishing to depict different eras across the venue giving it an eclectic design. Furthermore, the theme of the restaurant is quite industrial but with environmental elements signified by the tree centralised in the middle of the bar and the delicate paintings of flowers that adorn the walls throughout. There are also 'Botanist' restaurants in other cities such as Manchester, Leeds, Birmingham and Chester but the Newcastle venue is by far the most impressive in terms of its dome built architecture, which in itself intensifies the beauty of the interior and the gigantic fake sycamore tree.
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