Kurt Schwitters Merz barn wall

I was on the 10am bus to town with a few members of our U3A Art Appreciation group. We went to the Laing to see Essence of Nature - PreRaphaelites to British Impressionists. It was enjoyable enough but luckily Vivienne had organised another friend to meet us to talk to us about Kurt Schwitters who’s Marx Barn Wall we went to see after lunch. (Unfortunately we had no time to join the queue for a table at Magic Hat which uses unwanted food to cook delicious meals. It’s good it’s so well attended and I’ll go another time). We had to pick up something at the Laing cafe. The soup of the day was lentil. Vivienne asked the cook if it was vegetarian and he was very rude, saying lentils are Vegetarian. She’s Jewish so didn’t want to take the risk of ham stock and she was right, as it did taste that way.

Helen gave her talk at the table which was great. I’d seen his wall years ago but it was so much more meaningful after hearing his (and its) story. A Jew, born to a wealthy family in Hanover, he’s now considered to be one of the most influential artists of the 20th century. Many galleries were interested in rescuing his Merz barn wall from the Lake District where he lived after moving first to Norway and then England during the war, but in the end none took it on so it was left to Newcastle University to have it removed from the old barn and transported to the Hatton Gallery. He was ahead of his time, using found objects and reclaimed junk.

We also had time for a quick look at the gallery’s work on paper which is only shown briefly. Some were watercolours by contemporary Chinese artists but others were much older pencil drawings. However I’d seen too much already to concentrate and had to rush for the bus as I am being picked up by Katy and Colin to go to other friends up the valley at 6.15. (Mr C has gone for his final birthday treat with the daughters, a wine tasting in the Victoria tunnels).