Monday, August 07, 2006

Art for Arts sake?


This is a double bed .... in a Lake* - which apparently makes art, and an excuse for me to use a 10CC song as the title (excellent old band if youve ever heard of them). Its not a particuarly amazing shot in any respects, but it tickled me and ive done a zoom view- click here

* When i say lake, technically i should probably say reservoir, for this is at Cragside, Lord Armstrongs country house in Northumberland. Armstrong was a Victorian industrialist, famous in the north east of England for his factories on the Tyne. These engineering facilities turned out warships and heavy guns to name a few examples, later becoming Vickers- Armstrong and now eventually part of Rolls-Royce. For the uni people, Jesmond Dene in the Newcastle suburbs was donated by Armstrong to the working classes of the "toon" for them to enjoy. His house at Cragside was revolutionary in many respects, for the "lake" was part of his hydro electricty scheme (worlds 1st) - the whole house utilising water power. Mechanically to power a lift and kitchen and household equipment, and electrically to become the first electrically lit house in the world in 1878. Funny thing is, after all these years the house needs re-wiring, so its shut for 2 years while they do it, hence the random "art" around the estate to try and make up for it.

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