SOAS Special Collections

There was no photography allowed in the SOAS Special Collections, which is a bit of a shame.  They had a lot of different things from art to artifacts.  African art seems to pop up in unexpected places!


African art:

Matooke (Green Banana) by J Muyango, a student from Makerere University,  Uganda, was painted for an exam in the early 1960s.  This was my favourite thing in the gallery.

Colourful Slum by Ehigbor Iyoghioje from Nigeria painted in 2000.

Mother and Child by Margaret Towel from the 1940s, Uganda.

Akaba People's Prodigal Son (at least I think that's what it was called when I try to read my notes) by Kyalo son of Ngila from Kenya.

There was also a Nepalese Buddhist manuscript made from gouache ink and paper of Karandavyuha (Manifestation of Appearances according to the Gallery) and an Armenian manuscript.

'Popstars' from around Europe

I completely forgot that I have actually visited more of Europe than I realised via the Eurovision preview parties!

In 2008 I saw quite a few acts live at Scala in Kings Cross and my favourites were:

Ruslen Aleho from Belarus singing 'Hasta La Vista'

Sirusho from Armenia singing 'Qele Qele'

Ani Lorak from Ukraine singing 'Shady Lady'

Laka from Bosnia & Hertzegovina singing Pokusaj