The last time I saw paintings as deluded as Damien Hirst's latest works, the artist's name was Saif al-Islam Gaddafi. A decade ago the son of Libya's then still very much alive dictator showed sentimental paintings of desert scenes in an exhibition sponsored by fawning business allies. Searching for some kind of parallel to the arrogance and stupidity of Hirst's still life paintings, I find myself remembering that strange, sad spectacle. Damien Hirst: Two Weeks One Summer White Cube Bermondsey London 23 May – 8 July 2012 There is a pathos about Two Weeks One Summer, in which Hirst shows paintings of parrots and lemons, shark's jaws and foetuses in jars in a vast space in White Cube Bermondsey. It is the same kind of ... Continue reading →
The last time I saw paintings as deluded as Damien Hirst's latest works, the artist's name was Saif al-Islam Gaddafi. A decade ago the son of Libya's then still very much alive dictator showed sentimental paintings of desert scenes in an exhibition sponsored by fawning business allies. Searching for some kind of parallel to the arrogance and stupidity of Hirst's still life paintings, I find myself remembering that strange, sad spectacle. Damien Hirst: Two Weeks One Summer White Cube Bermondsey London 23 May – 8 July 2012 There is a pathos about Two Weeks One Summer, in which Hirst shows paintings of parrots and lemons, shark's jaws and foetuses in jars in a vast space in White Cube Bermondsey. It is the same kind of ... Continue reading →
The last time I saw paintings as deluded as Damien Hirst's latest works, the artist's name was Saif al-Islam Gaddafi. A decade ago the son of Libya's then still very much alive dictator showed sentimental paintings of desert scenes in an exhibition sponsored by fawning business allies. Searching for some kind of parallel to the arrogance and stupidity of Hirst's still life paintings, I find myself remembering that strange, sad spectacle. Damien Hirst: Two Weeks One Summer White Cube Bermondsey London 23 May – 8 July 2012 There is a pathos about Two Weeks One Summer, in which Hirst shows paintings of parrots and lemons, shark's jaws and foetuses in jars in a vast space in White Cube Bermondsey. It is the same kind of ... Continue reading →
Yellow Pages publisher Yell Group, soon to be rebranded hibu. Photograph: Roger Tooth for the Guardian Call me a creature of habit, but as someone who still eats Marathons, buys insurance from Norwich Union and collects Airmiles, I'm worried I might struggle to get on board with the new name that's been chosen by the publisher of the Yellow Pages.The company behind the famous phone directory, Yell Group, has announced plans to change its name to hibu (pronounced high-boo), subject to shareholder approval. The group said its transformation into a predominantly digital business would "require it to adopt a modern new brand to help its customers and consumers find, and identify with, its new products".The hibu brand has been five months in the making. New ... Continue reading →
Further education colleges have been awarded over half the extra student places allotted by the Higher Education Funding Council for England. How have the places been shared out, and between which institutions? Continue reading →
18 May 2012 Last updated at 10:26 ET Tree frog found in supermarket asparagus in Portsmouth Maurice the European tree frog is going in display at an aquarium Shoppers have found a tree frog nestling in Peruvian asparagus tips bought in a supermarket. Ann and Jim MacFarlane from Southampton made the discovery after shopping at a Portsmouth Morrisons store. Given the name Maurice, the European tree frog is being cared for by their daughter Jenna, who is a tropical frog specialist at a Southsea aquarium. Maurice is being kept in the aquarium's quarantine area and is described as being in an "excellent condition". Miss MacFarlane, who works at the Blue Reef Aquarium, said it was very rare to find the species in England. 'Very active' ... Continue reading →
Trayvon Martin had traces of marijuana in his blood and urine when he was killed, a postmortem reveals. Photograph: Handout/Reuters Trayvon Martin had traces of marijuana in his system on the night he was killed by a neighbourhood watch leader later charged with the teenager's murder, a postmortem report has revealed.According to the document released on Thursday by prosecutors in Florida, traces of the drug THC, the primary psychoactive ingredient of marijuana, were found in Martin's blood and urine during an autopsy on 27 February, the day after he was killed in a confrontation with George Zimmerman.Lawyers for Zimmerman, 28, who faces at least 25 years in jail if he is convicted of second-degree murder, insist it was Martin, 17, who provoked the fatal incident, ... Continue reading →
Campaigners protest against the closure of Kensal Rise library Around 50 campaigners have gathered outside Kensal Rise library in north-west London after Brent council workers began removing books from the closed library, which has become a key battleground in the fight over local authority cuts.Although the campaigners lost their legal battle to save the library in February, local residents have refused to give up the struggle and are offering to run it voluntarily as a free community facility.At around 7.30 on Wednesday morning, three lorries and eight council workers, accompanied by Brent's head of libraries, Sue McKenzie, arrived to begin packing up books. Protesters then blocked the library doors, and the council workers have remained inside for the last few hours.One campaigner, local resident Richard ... Continue reading →
