Film costume, fashion and far away places!

At last got to the V and A film costume exhibition last weekend, on the penultimate day, the museum had even opened in the evening to squeeze everyone in, and it was certainly packed when we went. But it far exceeded my expectations, I was amazed at the sheer quantity of costumes, at first I couldn't think of any major gaps! (Although later it occurred to me that Annie Hall and Bonnie and Clyde would have been good additions as they both influenced seventies fashion so much, but perhaps that wasn't necessarily the brief, or possibly Diane Keaton, Faye Dunaway and Warren Beatty held on to their wardrobe. It seems that Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal kept some pieces of their Brokeback costumes, according to the excellently detailed exhibition notes.) The film clips and videos of interviews with costume designers plus a few actors and directors added greatly to the interest; it was good to see the costumes' origins especially if you didn't know the film or recognise the clothes.

The exhibition of photography by Tim Walker at Somerset House was also at the end of its run, so again very busy. Impossible to categorize or even describe, as there seems to be little limit to his imagination, some of the work displayed appears on his website under 'archives'. There were no photos with Lily Cole, who he frequently featured in the past, but my favourite was of Tilda Swinton; other actors also appeared, including Scarlett Johansson re-imagined as Bette Davis in her 'Whatever happened to Baby Jane' role! Props used for the photos also form part of the exhibition, and added to the surreal and other-worldly feel of the exhibition.

And finally to another world, that of Ansel Adams, exhibited at the Maritime Museum: this one runs until 28th April. Entitled 'Photography from the Mountains to the Sea' , the collection includes water in its many forms, in Adams' trademark iconic views of American landscapes. From tranquil lakes to dramatic waterfalls and seascapes, where the water is frozen in time by his lens, his work is a powerful witness to environmental concerns.