Dear Readers, I was at the Barbican this week – I seem to be living there at the moment, with a trip to see High Society, followed by a trip to see Mr Handel’s ‘Serse’. This time, it was to see a puppet version of ‘Venus and Adonis‘, a poem written by Shakespeare when all the theatres were closed due to the plague. It was live-narrated by Simon Russell Beale, who is a wonderful actor with a wonderful voice. I loved the way that he interacted with the puppets. The whole thing was very grown up (it’s a very erotic poem) but far from being the ‘puppet porn’ that I was afraid of.

Another reason for all these visits is that the Barbican Centre is going to be closed – admittedly not until June 2028, but still. I hope that in addition to sorting out the infrastructure problems with the ageing building, they might think about improving the signage – every time I go I find myself helping some poor soul who is going round and round in circles trying to find something. Plus, the restaurant could do with some work in my opinion, I was ‘table-ninja’d’ by a group of 8 ladies who were desperate for somewhere to sit, as there are never enough spots, and the seats are also mightily uncomfortable, plus the food ordering system is very counter-intuitive (i.e. you’re never sure which counter to go to ) (sorry!). It’s hoped that building work will be completed by 2030, ahead of the Barbican’s 50th anniversary in 2032. Fingers crossed. For now it’s still one of the most photogenic locations in London (to my mind at least). I can never resist getting my camera out.

But wait, what is this that has sprung up in the middle of the sculpture court?

This is ‘origo’ by Colombian artist Delcy Morelos. On the day I visited we couldn’t walk inside because of the extreme heat, which I think might have had an adverse effect on the soil and clay structure. The soil contains fragrant spices, including cinnamon and cloves, which would have added a whole other dimension I think. This is the first time that there has been a sculpture in the Sculpture Court for more than ten years, such a shame. I like the way that ‘origo’ echoes the shape of the buildings around it – the Barbican was a utopian project when it was first designed, piloting a new way of living in the City, and it seems appropriate that the sculpture is built of the most fundamental of materials, clay, echoing the Brutalis cement constructions that surround it. There are some photos from inside here. See what you think!