The Southbank, London: Day 4

The morning of April 23rd is bright and sunny. After a good sleep, Greg and I feel well rested for our first full day in London. We decide to carry on from where we leave off the previous night - the banks of the river Thames - and head there, again, on the Tube. A slight change from last night's approach: instead of exiting from the other side of the Thames at Embankment Station, we take the Tube farther east of Waterloo Bridge and exit at London Bridge Station. Opting for this exit positions us to better access our priorities for this tour: the Globe Theatre and the Tate Modern, ending the day at a concert at the Queen Elizabeth Hall (in the National Theatre complex).

Outside the Tube station, I remark, again, how the city scape is different here than the one just across the river, where we were last night. Here, the path and roads along the Thames are not exclusively contiguous to it. Through this part of the neighbourhood, they wind alongside historic churches and ruins, former shipping warehouses, and through arches. From the station, we head west, towards the National Theatre, in whose bookshop we briefly spent time the previous evening. On this route, we pass Southwark Cathedral, the replica of the Golden Hinde ship, the ruins of Westminster Palace, the replica of Shakespeare's Globe Theatre, and end the afternoon at the outstanding Tate Modern art museum.

Making our way through this path, the age of the streets and buildings transport us to the past. The cynic in me regards the scene as 'ye olde English towne'. But in contrast to the dioramas found in North American museums, this setting is authentic.

Until recently, the south bank was considered outside of London's formal boundaries. It receives less natural light than the north bank, and so was less favoured. During the Middle Ages, as the genteel segments of society were settling the north bank of the Thames, confirming it unofficially as 'The City', the south bank drew the less seemly: Theatrical entertainers, prostitutes, and those involved in the popular sport of bear baiting established there. The south bank's mud flats were the ideal landscape for docks and other forms of industry, much of it under private ownership and inaccessible to the public at large.

It was not until the early 20th century that public access to the south bank became possible, with the building of a new County Hall. Public access to the area was expanded when the Festival of Britain (1951) necessitated further development. This resulted in the famous Southbank Centre, a theatre complex consisting of such cultural venues as the Royal Festival Hall, The Hayward Gallery, and Queen Elizabeth Hall. The Royal National Theatre and British Film Institute, separate complexes, confirms this area as a significant cultural and artistic hub.

On reflec-
ting on the popularity of the Southbank, Greg and I conclude that much of it must be due to the numerous railway lines and bridges - both foot and vehicular - that facilitate access to it. And, of course, there is also the grand walkway that runs along the River Thames for two square miles.

It is this walkway that allows access to the various attractions along the way to the Southbank Centre. We start at Southwark Cathedral, a place of worship for over a thousand years and the mother church of the Anglican Diocese of Southwark. The building, close to London Bridge, is in the Gothic style and was built and re-built between 1220 and 1420.

Because of time con-
straints, we do not enter the cathe-
dral, but continue on the path, which takes us past Winchester Palace, now a ruin. This had been the London residence of the Bishops of Winchester, starting in the 12th century. As a powerful landowner at the time, the Bishop needed a base whenever he came to conduct business in the city. The palace was used until the 17th century, but was destroyed by fire in the 19th. Today, only a part of the outer walls and the remnants of its rose window remain. Prior to its destruction, Winchester Palace housed a tennis court, gardens, and even a bowling alley; it had also been richly decorated and had hosted royalty, including James I of Scotland, in the 15th century. Greg and I are struck by the solidity of the ruin, and the many layers of brick that look fossilized and contain gradations of colour.

Moving on from Winchester Palace, we follow the walkway along the river where modern condo-
miniums line the banks. The views from these must be spectacular. Across from these, on the river, is Southwark Bridge, built in 1921. Its design includes three arches and it functions as a road bridge. Designed by notable architect Ernest George and civil engineer Basil Nott, the Southwark Bridge replaces an earlier bridge on the same site, the Queen Street Bridge, built in 1819.

Greg and I continue on from Southwark Bridge and take in the visually rich scene: from precipitous buildings to huge crowds to colourful bridges to the emerald waters of the Thames. It is a scene that excites and awes.

As we continue walking eastwards, we come to the Globe Theatre, a recreation of the original that was constructed by William Shakespeare's  company, The Lord Chamberlain's Men, in 1599. There has been a total of 3 theatres on the same site, with the first one burning to the ground in 1613 and its replacement built in 1613 and closed in 1642. The most recent theatre is located about 200 metres from where the original had been, was built in 1997, and is made of similar materials as the original theatre. Performances of Shakespeare's plays are held from April to October and tours operate every hour during the season.

As we wait for our tour to start, we are directed to the Under-
Globe, an exhibition space below the theatre where dioramas depicting the theatre and its environs throughout the centuries are located. In addition, the space exhibits theatrical costumes, stage props, and maps. The tour itself is excellent; Greg and I remark on the competent tour guide: Despite her youth, she is articulate and highly knowledgeable. She provides detailed information on both the exterior and interior of the the theatre, responds to various questions with depth, then takes us in to watch a dress rehearsal of tonight's performance of "Othello". We cannot take in this performance, so it is great to see a snippet of the dress rehearsal. The company is highly reputed, and performances are often sold out. Just as in Shakespeare's days, standing to watch the play is permitted in the open-air space closest to the stage, though one has to be prepared for inclement weather.

Our next stop after an hour at the Globe Theatre is Millenium Bridge, east of Southwark Bridge.  A steel pedestrian bridge, its southern end lies at the entrance to the Tate Modern,  the magnificent gallery housed in a former power plant. Millenium Bridge, was started in 1998 and completed in time for the millenium. But it closed shortly after it opened due to structural issues, which caused the bridge to wobble when walked on. After repairs corrected the issue, the bridge was re-opened in 2002. The bridge is made in three sections and is over 300 metres long. The decking is 4 metres wide and the structure has a capacity of 5000 people.

From a design perspective, I admire the bridge's sleek modernist style, which contrasts wonderfully with the historic landscape. Contrasts create a wonderful aesthetic, in my opinion. They provide balance between form, structure, and texture, and also provoke thought. Not all contrasting elements achieve the balance necessary to create harmony, but I do think that the challenge to create this harmony through aesthetics is a worthwhile exercise. Doing so cultivates discernment.

I take a few photos of and from the bridge before Greg and I proceed to the Tate Modern. The building originally housed the Bankside Power Station and was built in two stages - one in 1947 and the other in 1963. It closed in 1981 but was converted into a museum by Swiss firm Herzog & de Meuron in 2000. At 99 metres tall, the building is imposing, partly due to its solid brick walls and vertical design. A roof-top addition displays signage declaring: "Free Entry - Tate Modern". North America take note: Most museums in London do not have entry fees. How is that for civility!

We note the spareness of the design, though much of this reflects the building's previous incarnation as a power plant, as opposed to a purposeful re-design by modern-day architects. This is complemented by a minimalist landscape in front of the building, augmented by the deliberate arrangement of poplar trees; when backlit by the sun, their leaves turn neon-green, presenting a bright contrast to the sober exterior walls of the gallery.

On entering this monolith, the immensity of the space is jaw-dropping. Yet, there is also something intimate and meditative about it, maybe because of the light that filters through the skylights and intermingles with the industrial steel girders and bare concrete walls and floors. The south section of the building is occupied by the Turbine Room, so-called because of what it used to house.  It is 34 storeys tall and has 3,400 square metres of floor space. It is now empty space, reserved for large temporary art installations, exhibited between October and March.  Some of the most famous contemporary artists have had work exhibited here, including Louise Bourgeois, Anish Kapoor, and Olafur Eliasson.

What I appreciate about the Tate Modern is how the art - all contemporary, from 1900 onwards - is curated thematically, not chronologically. In being so, the exhibits allow one to reflect on the similarities and differences between art of different periods. For instance, the third floor houses abstract, expressionist, and abstract-expressionist works, including those by Monet, Rothko, and Matisse; the fifth floor houses, cubist, futurist, and pop art works, including those by Picasso, Warhol, and Lichenstein. This floor also houses works by a favoured photographer, Eugene Atget, who documented much of Paris in the early part of the 20th century. Such an approach to curation compels the viewer to truly engage with the art, as opposed to merely looking at it. 

Regrettably, no photographs are allowed of the works, so I must be content to document the spaces. But there is enough of these to appreciate, including the extensive book and gift shop, in which we spend over an hour, simply marvelling at the variety of books, gifts, and displays of beautiful objects.

At the end of this tour, we down fast meals, then make our way to the National Theatre and the Queen Elizabeth Hall. There we take in a performance of To Rococco Rot, a band performing as part of the Southbank Electronic Music Festival, closing a day full of historical, architectural, and artistic wonders.

References: 
1. Wikipedia
2. TimeOut Guide (London 2010)

See slide show below to see more images (click on slide show to enlarge):