Surrr-reality

Every once in a while the surreality of the world we are living in begins to intrude on the general complacency of ordinary day-to-day life.  Even an ordinary staycation can be rattled by the daily news reports emanating from the States. A country that seems to be collapsing physically, economically, and morally can't manage outrage over poverty, unemployment, deficient healthcare, sub-standard education or any number of moral issues, but can be sucked into a whirlwind of protest over the equivalent of a YMCA —or more relevant perhaps, a YMHA. Hmmm. I wonder why someone had to build a YMHA. Wasn't a YMCA good enough for them?

So it seemed appropriate to see the Surreal House exhibit at the Barbican Art Gallery. A really interesting thematic show that brings together a huge mass of material that has to do with houses and domestic possessions presented in some surreal manner. The work of early 20th century Surrealists was predominant, but there were also photographs and extensive clips from films. Buster Keaton was well represented with the tornado scene from Steamboat Willy and The Scarecrow, a film I had never seen where Buster and his brother have devised housekeeping techniques that can be called innovative or surreal.

Afterwards we went for a pint at The Jerusalem Tavern, a 1720 pub, with an interior that looks like Tom Paine might have conspired to fight the good fight for Common Sense or The Rights of Man at their tavern tables.