Art in Sheffield

Hello. We woke up to rain this morning, and I am sure I have seen some sprinklings of snow. I remember Easter a few years ago when snow fell, so we are not out of the woods yet. Summer is just around the corner, but the great man in the sky has a habit of playing tricks on us. A day indoors I think today. 

I went to Sheffield hoping to see art, we trawled the galleries and found some. My preference is for contemporary and modern art, but understandably there was more of the traditional kind. I like to see something that stretches my mind, something that confuses me, and something that forces me to think outside the box. I've a few pics of my kind of art to show. 

Sheffield is the cutlery capital, the steel industry has been prolific in building the city's economy over the years. The Millennium Gallery has this amazing monument to steel, made of cutlery welded to a wire frame.

This decorative artwork encourages people to make a donation to the gallery.

One of the exhibitions in the Millennium Gallery is, 'Picturing Sheffield'. There are paintings from past and present, documenting  the regeneration of the city. The collection includes work by artists from the 1970's to the present day. It finishes on the 12th of April, so you have to be quick to see it before it closes. I like this one, big, bold, busy, and colourful. Here is a link to their web site.

Next stop was the Library, which houses the Graves Gallery on the upper floor. As you climb the stairs and look up to the skylight there appears to be a hundred birds floating in the air.

Looking closely, they are fringed squares of loosely woven fabric, folded corner to corner. As the warm air rises they look like they are floating.

This is amazing. A very large red canvas, the picture has been 'painted', with strands of beads, and chains, which have been left to dangle down to the floor giving the impression that the excess 'paint' has been allowed to dribble. 

A stunning piece of work, I love it.

In the same gallery are two large figures, this is one of them, both are holding a rifle.

As you can see all kinds of paraphernalia has been used in their construction. I am wondering if there was a plan for this work, or was it like stick this here and put that there, and see what happens. Hmmm, confusing.

Here is a link to the Graves Gallery.

Seen on the stairway of the Graves Gallery. So true. We need to have a certain amount of logic to get us through day to day living. I think I am a logical kind of person, but on the other hand too much logic can stifle imaginative thoughts. I am also a dreamer and like to let my mind wander to wherever it pleases. 

So, what are you? Are your thoughts always logical, or can you wander off the long straight path to explore either side of it. Do you like things orderly and straight forward, or can you cast off the shackles and let your mind fly freely? Let me know, I'm interested in how you think.

Thanks for popping in. The rain has stopped, maybe the day is going to turn out quite nice after all.
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