feel London
After I said bye to the city in 2020, I returned yearly. Where giorgia lives now is between Packham and Nunhead. I spent 1/7 of my entire London life on Packham High Street with Rosie and Beth, I particularly enjoyed the 20-minute stroll to the overground station this time. Walking on the high street, seeing old buildings covered by new façades, the best falafel trunk is gone, that old DVD shop is still hanging, the butcheries remain, the stinging meat smell staying. This is what I meant, London feeding me new and old memories.
I was excited to see the fountain on Trafalgar Square after these years, finally I’ve become a tourist again.
I saw Sergej Jensen at the White Cube. The space is a long time no see. I still remember being amazed by Tracey Emin in the same room where I am now standing, before the long image strip composed of paintings like listening to trains of thoughts of Jensen right in front of me.
(Lu)
One of the joyous things about being in London is buying books, the activity itself is already a self-fulfilling act, but coming across many Etel Adnan in one shop is beyond words, another level.
I am learning Etel Adnan daily, her words, her art.
reading her and Genesis P-Orridge makes me feel that I wish I had known them earlier.
During giorgia and I’s first dinner at the Camberwell’s Arms, our conversation travelled from friendship, love, sex, to death. Speaking of death made me think of the beautifully sad episode, from the podcast “Poetry off the Shelf”, called “pen pal”. Please go listen to it.
(Oddly sunny in London and a photogenic corner)
it rained as if it had never rained for a long time on the last day
motions happened in one sitting
giorgia crocheting, birds chirping, squirrels chasing, raindrops hitting the trees
I could stare at the garden forever I almost forgot to blink
I thought of taking a photo but I changed my mind
Each sketch serves as a diary entry
leads me to my future paintings, drawings
it brings the past to the present,
allow me to relive it once more
I couldn’t count how many things I missed about London
it will always have its special place in my heart but I am satisfied
with now only being a nostalgic passerby
receiving heartfelt dialogues from dear friends, from acquaintances, from time to time
Let life happen, the reason why I am where I am
position shifted, I can be one of them
writing about the city as I did during my last visit
Thank you for reading!
Let me know what you think or simply say hi :)