A day in my favourite city

Here is a great quote from Earl Grey, who you see on his 130 foot high column in the heart of Newcastle upon Tyne:

“The only way with newspaper attacks is, as the Irish say, ‘to keep never minding’. This has been my practice through life.”

Although he is mainly remembered for introducing tea with bergamot - now Earl Grey tea - he was the architect of the Reform Bill and the Slavery Abolition Act as well as being Prime Minister. 

I was in Newcastle to have my second Japenese encephalitis jab at the Superdrug Travel Clinic. This time it was a pharmacist and not a nurse who administered the injection.

I then had some time in the city and I want to tell you about two very powerful photography exhibitions, both currently in the Abject Galleries. These reside in Bamburgh House in Market Street East (near Carliol Square). Do go to see them if you can.

The first, Korean Dreams,  by Nathalie Daoust consists of images from North Korea. There is no explanation of how she was able to visit or when she went. She has interrupted the dark room processing to create anonymity for her subjects and a dream like mirage of how life there is choreographed.

The second, Kalpana' Warriors,  affected me even more. Shahidul Alam has created a set of photographs of followers of Kalpana Chakma and has burnt these onto large straw mats, each illuminated by a candle. I know that we are not supposed to show other people's work, but I have added one as an extra, along with some text from the photographer because I want you to know about his project. He became fascinated by Kalpana and it was touching her sleeping mat that provided the light bulb moment for this exhibition.

Kalpana campaigned for the rights of indigenous people in the Chittagong Hill Tracts of Bangladesh. The people who were persecuted and hounded from their homes. She was abducted at gunpoint over 20 years ago and has not been seen again since, so I assume she is dead. 

The irony of the situation struck me forcibly. At present the Rohinja people from Myanmar are escaping persecution by travelling to Bangladesh. The history of the people of the Chittagong Hills is complex, but they have undoubtedly been persecuted. 

I was talking to the receptionist at Bamburgh House and we shared our despair about the behaviour of the human race. "What surprises me," she said, "is that we have managed to survive so long."

Food for thought.

I was home from my favourite city in time to take Mum to see our GP about her sore eyes. She now has antibiotic drops to use. 

It has been extremely cold today.