auf wiedersehen pet

our kisses are petals

The final gallery we visit at the Baltic bears the magnificent title, 'Our kisses are petals'. The long form adds the words, 'Our tongues caress the bloom', which is even more intriguing.

Lubaina Himid is the artist.  She uses the colours and symbolism of the Kanga, a vibrant cotton fabric traditionally worn by East African women as a shawl, head scarf, baby carrier, or wrapped around the waist. Typically, kangas consist of three parts: the pindo (border), the mji (central motif), and the jina (message or ‘name’), which often takes the form of a riddle or proverb.

The flags on display are attached to a series of red ropes stretched across the gallery.  Visitors can move them by tugging on a pulley to change the appearance of the display.

having you on

Level 3 at the Baltic contains an installation by Michael Dean called, 'Having you on'.  The first sight of the installation is through a square entrance sealed off with striped-tape bearing the repeated word, 'sorry'. The tape carries on round the corner to link different elements of the structure which includes, among other things, perspex, concrete castings, a hoop of bronze loose change and sundry moldings of hands in a variety of colours.

Viewed as an entirety it creates a bewildering dreamlike stage which bears repeated viewing at different angles and vantage points.

idea of the north

We start our tour of the Baltic on the top floor, which houses, 'Idea of the North'. The gallery features a number of exhibitions bringing together architecture, photography, music and design, all focused on northern identity.