Last week I went to London for two neat reasons; one was scheduled for the near future but was happily precipitated by the other. My best friend’s first visit to Europe, who came on work related matters, pushed forward my initial scouting for art spaces in London. It couldn’t have been better timing; I found London in full blossom!

The two areas I wanted to check were SOHO and, to the east, the Brick Lane surroundings- Shoreditch; neither disappointed me. In fact I saw great works in SOHO by Brett Amory (Twenty-Four in London, in Lazarides, great leg of the project), Emma Richardson (Feast, in The Outsiders, colourful slices from someone’s hypothalamus, taken with a very sharp katana and skilfully stuck to canvas ) and, perhaps on a different point of the spectrum, Lionel Smit (Cumulus, in Rook & Raven). As for Shoreditch, I know…easy to say it’s full of character. But I think there’s something else here that adds to my project, APEX: the perception of a top from a bottom. Transcript: the City’s corporate landscape is just there…silently cut on the background when you walk some rusty alleys. The StolenSpace had a great show by Cyrcle. called “Overthrone! Pooring Reign”. In both areas I met interesting people, some of whom are quite interested in the project.

Meeting this old friend was a real treat, I’m happy. It’s like a part of your life coming back to you in the form of memories, anecdotes, and more importantly, that ease of mind reflected in a to-the-point talk mixed with affection and the cheerful mood from childhood, even discussing serious matters (he is in a separation process). At the moment he’s working in a book for the Argentina Embassy in UK, and he was staying at the Ambassador’s Residence in Belgravia. On Saturday we went with Alicia Castro, the Argentina Ambassador herself, for an informal wondering around to various places, like the market in Portobello rd – Notting Hill, etc and the tour ended having tapas and a great red in Borough Market. To finalize a spectacular sunny day, and in order to check the last location for my project, we went up the View of the Shard, London’s physical APEX.

A special mention to my good friend and former Dublin mate Anahi Fernández, who very kindly left me her home in Paddington, thanks Anita!