5th November 2024

We decided to venture back into Central Milton Keynes after a long absence, parking in the multi-story car park near John Lewis. It was quite a surprise to find the former ground-level car park transformed into a towering structure. I wondered when the transformation took place.

A short walk from the car park led us to the Milton Keynes Gallery, where the much-anticipated Vanessa Bell exhibition was underway. I am told that Vanessa Bell (1879-1961), a prominent figure of the Bloomsbury Group, was a pioneering modernist painter, designer, and ceramicist. The exhibition showcased a wide range of her work, including paintings, drawings, ceramics and furniture.

While I personally found the abstract nature of her paintings a bit too avant-garde for my taste, preferring more realistic or draughtsman-like styles, R thoroughly enjoyed the exhibition.

We capped off our cultural outing with a satisfying lunch at the gallery’s on-site restaurant. The menu featured “Handmade mug of soup”. R tutted, but no, it was correct! The mug was handmade! Watching the chef, he definitely had a flourish when he added seasonings.