After our first couple of days in London, I was absolutely in awe of the eclectic styles and cultures seen blended into an everyday hustle. While visiting the British museum, I was able to enjoy beautiful art from these many different parts of the world that were acquired by the British, whether it’s fully intact paintings, replicated models, or bits and pieces of sculptures. This varied display shows the history of the world and Britain through their own eyes in a heroic way, but the pieces were often wrongfully taken from other societies that have been pieced into British culture. Although this appropriation has a horrific past and troubled presence today, the scavenged art, even if broken, is beautiful and a sight to see all in one place. I focused on one broken piece that provoked this idea of collaging cultures, with one bust of Apollo split asymmetrically and chipped all over. Despite the damaged material and brutal facial reconstruction, it is a glimpse into another time and allows a look at its past by its current state, all the while remaining a breathtaking view, just like London.
Sketch of Apollo