Chagall and the Mersey

This is a somewhat inappropriate picture for a couple of reasons: firstly, it was a gloriously hot and sunny day, and, secondly, it sends a rather glum message when I was actually having a lovely time.

I was in Liverpool to go to the Chagall exhibition at Tate Liverpool, with my friend @artminx providing company and also acting as my pocket guide to the paintings. We started off at the Costa just outside The Beatles Exhibition, sitting in the sun, me squinting as I always do and wondering when I will get 'round to buying some sunglasses. (It has been two and a half years since I left my last pair in a lease car.)

The people watching was enjoyable, as were the buckets of coffee that we'd bought, but after an hour or so, we decided it was time to head into the exhibition. As we wandered through the docks I pointed out some places that have featured in my times in Liverpool while @artminx did a good job of looking interested and then we arrived at the Tate.

Our ascent up to the exhibition was immediately interrupted by a Jackson Pollock - Summertime: Number 9A - which @artminx spotted - with great squeals of excitement - in another gallery, so we spent some time in there before going up to the Chagall.

As is happens, I'm not a huge Chagall fan but that didn't stop me enjoying the exhibition and learning something from it. I certainly liked reading about his approach, about how he took from other schools the bits he wanted for his own art without ever becoming seduced or subsumed by other movements or ideas.

Photography was forbidden in the exhibition but later I found myself in this alcove, with tinted windows, overlooking the Mersey. Thus, despite the very bright sunshine outside, I was faced with this melancholy view across the Mersey.