I’ve moved to London! I’ve been planning this for a couple of weeks ever since I discovered I was successful in getting a job offer last month. Since then it’s been a month of saying goodbye to home in the North West of England and making an exciting hello to the big city.
A reoccuring statement appearing in every conversation I have with a friend who lives here already is that there’s always something to do in London and after 7 days I can agree with that. I start my new job tomorrow, so in the run up to the big move I’ve been determined to make the most of my time here.
When meandering around where my offices are based in the central part of the city, I decided to head over to Leicester Square to take a look at the relocated Swiss Exchange clock which my parents always made us watch whenever we visited the city. Nearby was The British Museum, where I decided to spend some time and close out my first day of exploration on an erudite note. It was a nostalgic visit too, since I have fond memories of a couple of years ago when one of my very first moments of independence being the time I spent a whole day there taking a look at everything.
I had come at the right time too, since there were posters up for a new exhibit which piqued my interest: I object: Ian Hislop’s search for dissent is currently on display at The British Museum until the 20th of September 2018 and is a fascinating exploration of how those who don’t get a chance to write history still leave their mark where they can still have a say.
Ian Hislop, of Private Eye editorial and Have I Got News For You fame is known for his acerbic wit and holding the powerful to account through a satirical, counterculture lens. The choice to let him curate such an exhibit is a brilliant match and this is reflected throughout all of the chosen objects and the commentary provided from both Hislop and The British Museum.
I thoroughly enjoyed the exhibit due to the fascinating context of these objects coupled with the overt satire permeating throughout each of the stories they told. There were a couple of laugh out loud moments, a first for me and museum exhibits.
Protest takes many forms and mockery was a recurring theme here. Whether it was a tutorial on how to illustrate a monarch as a pear, forged banknotes circulated with a political cartoon or a drawing of someone farting into a picture of the king – these objects demonstrate the power of imagery and ridicule, as well as making you want to pay more attention to your every day surroundings.
The small details that were revealed to me continued to blow my mind, a number representing protest discretely hidden on a teapot was a fun puzzle to figure out, along with hidden profanities on realistic looking coins and banknotes. Each one was a magic eye puzzle with social commentary and dissent. One could even say that the minutiae of these objects is what made them so fascinating.
The whole exhibit got me thinking about this blog too. A book I’m reading tells me that breaking down comedy is boring, but I’m not sure if I wholly agree. When anything is made and is held in such high esteem that an audience will see it, whether it be a film, song, episode, forged banknote, vase, cartoon or painting – care is put into it.
Care is what makes people focus their attention into all the intricate details. Not everything may be intentional, but it definitely is thought about since people spend a tremendous amount of time on what they make and not all of it is noticed. I think this a good sign, because there could be hidden meaning from creators in everything around us, we just need to take a closer look and believe that it’s there.
minutiae+musings 