Radio preferences

I love Radio 4 but it just seems to be people constantly moaning at the moment. 

The “Graduate Special” the other day was ludicrous. Some graduate-lings talking about not getting replies to emails or feedback to job applications. Forgive me, scoffing at your naivety but the sooner you stop being so weedy, the sooner you will be in my position - a cynical radio listener scoffing at the next round of graduates.  

And don’t get me started on Olympic feed back ... people moaning about queues for food! When do you not have to queue for food? Whether it is to receive someone’s mother’s fish pie or at a fast food emporium. I mean, Olympically-speaking I am impressed. The opening ceremony looked good to me. I like the English ability to laugh at one’s self - although I agreed that the rest of the world must think we are completely bonkers. To be honest the fact that none of those cycling birds fell over will keep me going throughout the inconveniences of the next month. 

If you want something a little more upbeat, switch occasionally over to ABS80s. Absolute 80‘s, which will “keep you up to date” - as IF that would be your radio station of choice if you wanted to stay on top of your world issues. The funniest bit about the station is their “no repeat guarantee”. True, no song is played more than once a day, but come midnight it is exactly the same songs, day after day. Still good though.

Damien Hirst: A Retrospective

Amongst flurries of scathing and adoration, Damien Hirst is exhibiting his retrospective works at the Tate Modern until 9th September.

The exhibition demonstrates his ongoing obsession with the most dark and real areas of life, and the reason why he attracts so much controversy.  

From shock-inducing maggots and bleeding cows heads, to floating beach balls and stinking giant ash trays; the exhibition is a bombardment on the senses. 

It is interesting to perceive Hirst’s interest in values and beliefs, religion and science, appreciation for colour and nature, and his all too well-documented obsession with death and money in one all-encompassing exhibition. 

Whatever you like, their is something here for you. Shock factor? You will not be disappointed; from clowns discussing death, to dead animals in all stages of maggot-covered decay. Colour? Hirst’s spin and spot paintings which celebrate and control colour, respectively. Nature lovers? Hirst exhibits the cycle of life in an incredible way (think, pupa to live butterflies), and his works, such as “Doorways to the Kingdom of Heaven” which is a triptych of stained glass-looking windows made of butterfly wings, appreciate the beauty of nature.

Throughout the eleven rooms, there was the niggling quotes of recent Hirst-haters in the back of my mind. I was torn between mulling over the ongoing “What is art?” debate; especially when I saw an escaped fly from “A Thousand Years” in a different room, and feeling equally scathing towards quotes such as “I try and say something and then deny it”.

Go and see what you make of the exhibition and Damien Hirst, "one of the most important and highly regarded artists of his generation", for yourself - in the Tate Modern until September 9th 2012.

(Written for Insider London ages ago - http://insidertrends.squarespace.com/insider-london-tours-blog/)