Hi there
I’m sorry that posts have been a little erratic recently. Blame the summer holidays – that’s what I’m doing! I was lucky enough that no sooner had I finished the laundry from one trip that another one arrived. This time I was in Venice to see the Damien Hirst exhibition Treasures From the Wreck of The Unbelievable.
I really know very little about art but when I read about this bonkers exhibition I really wanted to see it for myself and it was also the perfect excuse to hop on a plane and have a weekend away. The Unbelievable, or so we are told, was a ship that sank off East Africa two thousand years ago. The ship was ladened with artefacts collected by a freed slave and it is these that make up the exhibition.
At the beginning of the exhibition is a beautifully shot video of the divers ‘recovering’ the artefacts from the ocean floor. I loved the fact that everything had to be sunk in order to be rescued. The items themselves are then scattered across two separate venues.
The clue is in the name of the ship and you really aren’t supposed to suspend your disbelieve. It seemed to me that Hirst had his tongue very firmly in his cheek when he included a barnacle-encrusted statue of Mickey Mouse in his treasure trove. 
Roman and Greek mythology merge together in a melting pot of cultural references, many of which were too clever for me to grasp. That notwithstanding, I really enjoyed the spectacle of it all.
I also had two other first experiences whilst I was there.
I discovered the picture perfect island of Burano (where I fully intend to retreat to very shortly) and I saw the sea rise up and flood St Mark’s Square which was fascinating.
And now I’m back and well into the first draft of book three. There will be news of book two shortly so watch this space.
There’s a new review on the Reviews page too. Just click HERE. It’s perfect if you’re looking for something to escape into.
Happy reading.
Imogen x
