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British Museum

I've been to the British Museum twice so far, and I've still only seen a mere fraction of it. Surprisingly, I'm more interested in this museum than the Natural History Museum, which may have something to do with the percentage of people under the age of 10 visiting the latter.

Some of the 'Medicine Man' photos were taken on my first visit, which was specifically to see the Medicine Man exhibition. I didn't take many photos the first time because my flash is really intense, and it fires off three times per shot, so in a crowded, darkened room it drew a fair amount of attention, but there were a few things that I really wanted to take pictures of, so I popped in again at the end of the next trip, only to discover that they have removed one of the display cases and shifted some of the pieces around, which meant that I couldn't  find some of the items I was looking for, like the binding shoes, which were so tiny they made my stomach turn. I have seen photographs of bound feet, but I never actually had a real concept of how small they were making their feet until I saw these shoes. They were the size of babies booties.

Anyway, my approach to the museum this time, was to get through the temporary exhibits, then tackle a few of the permanent exhibits.

There was an exhibit of Tibetan banner paintings, which you were not permitted to photograph. I thought I knew a fair amount about Tibetan Buddhism, but I soon realised that I don't.

After that I located the next interesting exhibit, which was called '7000 Years of Chinese Jade'.  Finally, I started on the permanent exhibits, only to find my stomach rumbling and my feet starting to ache.

If you're at all interested, there are loads of online tours which appear to be free (only 5 audio tours if you're actually there, which is rather disappointing), so feel free to go to www.thebritishmuseum.ac.uk and take one or two. Its far easier to try and gather information before you go as its nearly impossible to stand and read plaques at popular exhibits. It seems to be pretty easy to gauge what people are interested in - if its got big things, the people will be there - meaning the Greek, Roman and Egyptian exhibits.

 
The Great Court.  This is a vast hall connecting many of the sections of the museum. The large room that sits in the middle of the Great Court is the reading room, which has floor to ceiling bookcases full of leather bound books containing information about the museum's collection. This piece is titled 'Throne of Weapons'.  Its located in the recently opened Africa Galleries, which excludes Egypt as it has several dedicated galleries. The Africa Gallery as a whole is an enormous disappointment, but there are a few contemporary pieces such as this which make it worthwhile.  It was made by the Mozambiquean artist, Kestor, from Russian, European and American weapons collected under amnesty since the end of the civil war in Mozambique in 1992. In Africa seats of all types may be decorated with images, including guns and weapons, which reflect the owner's power.
This piece may be of interest to all the Grim Fandango fans out there (the Lucas Arts game that is).

War, part of a larger piece called the 'Atomic Apocalypse' by the Linares Family, Mexico AD 1983.

Click here for more information on the whole piece and the Mexican Day of the Dead.

 

These pieces are from the Living and Dying exhibition which explores the ways in which people around the world seek well-being for themselves and their communities in the face of illness and suffering.  I can't remember what this guy above was for (scaring things off, at a guess), the museum was evacuated for some reason shortly after I took these photographs. There were five fire engines and busloads of confused American tourists at the front of the building, but no visible fire.
Above: Mosaic mask of Tezcatlipoca
Aztec/Mixtec, 15th-16th century AD
From Mexico
The skull of the Smoking Mirror

Right: Mosaic mask of Quetzalcoatl
A
ztec/Mixtec, 15th-16th century AD
From Mexico
The Feathered Serpent

Above Right: This mask is just part of the Aztec Turquoise Mosaics collection at the British Museum.

 

 

 

12 October 2003