Art for Arts Sake?

No for once this is not me reverting back to classic songs of the 1970s for a theme - this time its the Movies! Ars gratia artis beams out the slogan at the start of MGM films accompanied by a roaring lion. As far as I can find out MGM never made a Frankenstein movie – that franchise being started off by Universal Studios – but it was the sort of weather which inspired Mary Shelly – voll Donner und Blitzen – which finally got us going being creative in India last weekend.

An additional factor may have also been being reliably informed (via the News Quiz on R4) that you have to be under 50 to enter the Turner prize – so my time is limited. I could of course fall back on my creative history suggesting that the discount shopping habits at Tesco in Chester-le-Street which produced such eclectic delicacies as pear and haggis risotto were a form of performance art representing a searing indictment of modern consumerist society and the pressures to conform. Unfortunately I understand that the Turner committee has had an ‘Emperors Clothes’ moment and actually wants paintings and drawings – so I will have to stick to conventional media- although I was quite pleased with the complex and reflective pools of sweat I generated whilst recovering on the tiled verandah after running on hot afternoons.

The visual artistic force does not flow particularly strongly with the border reiver clan – artistic efforts seem to focus mostly on heroic songs about other borderers which they have beaten in battle – an ancient precursor to the rugby song perhaps?. The force is however strong on Mrs Reivers side of the family, who generously try not to laugh whenever I attempt anything and can make a ‘you are really improving’ go a long way. What did you produce with the elements providing a Shakepearean backcloth to your artistic efforts and the complex sights, sounds and smells of India putting your senses into overload I hear you ask. Well you know Boy- Northumberland – Northumberland Boy. Mrs Reiver painted the boats at Alnmouth and I painted the family cat Emma (illustrated). She may not quite be a Percy Lion, and is more of purrer than a roarer, but her ability to rule and protect her domain of the rug, bedspread and garden is worthy of any Reiver.