Monday 6 May 2013

Kaffe Fassett and a new groupie, maybe !

I was hell bent on going to see the Kaffe Fassett Exhibition at the Museum of Fashion and Textiles in London. But I was returning home after three months away and so really wanted to get back as fast as possible. Luckily I could book my flights so I got a long break in London.
My flight into London from New York was delayed so by the time I showered, ate breakfast and was ready to go it was past 1 pm but had no idea how to get out. After spending close to an hour wandering around wondering if I really was the educated well travelled person I imagined myself to be, and after thinking I was trapped forever in the Departure Lounge I found my way to the Immigration queue. As always I seemed to be in the slowest line and when it was finally my turn at 2 30, I was dreaming and had to be pushed by those behind me.
The Immigration officer wanted to know why I was going out for just 6 hours so I told him all about Kaffe and his work and how I had to see it. It worked. Stamp, stamp and I was out.
Then to the Underground and to Green Park Station, walked what seemed like miles to change to the Jubilee Line and then to London Bridge Station.
Another long walk, up 2 sets of excalators and out in the fresh air again...an hour later !
Since there was no information desk in sight, I asked a woman ticket checker if she knew where the F and T museum was.....she yelled to a colleague, " Hey Jimmy, you knows whare the Fashion Mosayum ees ?" And he just grunted back with a nod "some where that side" ! She repeated "Som whare around, you'll find it!"
So I started in what I thought was the direction grouchy Jimmy had nodded..asked some construction workers if they had any idea.Thankfully, they did !!

I had to go thru a tunnel to get onto Bermondsey St where the museum is located. But when I got there I saw shops, glass blowers, pretty buildings but no museum. Since I had come all the way I was going to walk another mile and if I still couldn't find it, turn back. Suddenly I saw a splash of colour....Found it !

The exhibition seemed a little small when I first went in, but when I thought about it and realized it was all one man's work it seemed much bigger.

Needless to say it was beautiful. A riot of colour used in the most amazing ways. There were muted combinations with sudden bursts of bright and some very, very bright work.




My absolute fav was a vignette of Kaffe's blue china 


...though the wingback chair with veggies and fruit came a close second.
And this quirky chair on the wall was just perfect !!
I dreamt all the way back to the Airport of the beautiful quilts, tapestry, knitting and paintings I had seen and wondered if I was becoming a bit of a groupie in my old age ! My children thought I was nuts going off on my own, between flights, to see something that I could wait to see somewhere one day. My DH said it made better sense to stay put at the airport and get some rest, but he suspected that wasn't happening ! I'm just so happy I went and saw at close quarters how wonderful Kaffe's work is.



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