Berriew is a village in the county of Montgomeryshire in mid Wales. It is an attractive and historic settlement which is well known for its half timbered houses. The river Rhiew runs through the village.
Of particular interest to visitors is the Andrew Logan Museum of Sculpture which is located just over the river from the church.
A more dazzling and unexpected place in such a tranquil rural setting is hard to imagine.
The museum houses Logan’s breathtaking sculptures, ceramics, jewellery and paintings – all created by the artist from the 60’s onwards.
Logan is also the name behind the ‘living sculpture’ of the Alternative Miss World pageant, a raucous and glittering send up of the Miss World competition whose contestants might be drag queens, actors, celebrities and performance artists.
The contestants and their costumes are suitable outrageous. The judging panel has included artist Grayson Perry, fashion designer Zandra Rhodes and comedienne Ruby Wax. Guests have included the infamous drag queen, Divine aka actor Harris Glenn Milstead.
(Did somebody mention Cha Cha heels)?
Divine was a friend of Logan’s and featured in his work. The artist was also friendly with film maker Derek Jarman who appeared as Miss Crepe Suzette in the 1975 Alternative Miss World pageant.
Images from the world of British monarchy feature often in Logan’s work especially Crowns, Sceptres and Orbs. Logan himself is not averse to wearing a crown.
Queen Elizabeth II is the longest serving British monarch. Her Platinum Jubilee this year marks 70 years on the throne. National celebrations will take place in the UK this year, as they did in 2002 (Golden Jubilee) and 1977 (Silver Jubilee).
The Silver Jubilee in 1977 was, as the Platinum Jubilee in 2022 will be, set in a state of parlous economic problems. ‘Hoy como ayer’ indeed but without any sense of nostalgia for those long gone days.
Logan has depicted Queen Elizabeth II in his work at the time of a Jubilee.
Yale Unversity’s British Arts Centre celebrated the Queens ‘Diamond Jubilee’ (60 years on the throne) in 2012 with an exhibition of work by 15 artists from the UK. Logan’s portrait of the Queen was installed in the entrance court
For the 2022 Platinum Jubilee, Logan has designed and made Crown broaches.
Diana, the most iconic Princess of Wales of all time was also the subject of Logan’s work.
Logan also owns The Lion Art Hotel & Restaurant in the village, a short walk from the museum itself. The Lion was formerly a coaching inn. Whilst the building still looks like a pub from outside, the bar and dining areas have been totally transformed by Logan himself.
The same unique transformation also applies to the 7 guest rooms themselves.
As well as drinks The Lion offers beautifully cooked food sourced from local Welsh ingredients. A truly inspired place to eat, drink and sleep.
The first time we heard of Andrew Logan was via the nascent Sex Pistols group who played at one of the artist’s parties at his Bermondsey studio in February 1976, an early gig for them.
Rare footage of the band filmed by film maker Derek Jarman playing live at this party exists although the sound ( the track ‘Satellite’) is taken from a live concert the group gave at Chelmsford Prison later in the year.
The Sex Pistol’s notoriety grew quickly. Loved by their fans, they were hated by everyone else to an extent that no other band has experienced in the UK before or since. A little later in the year and in time for the Queens Silver Jubilee, the Sex Pistols released their second single, God Save The Queen with its apt coda of ‘no future, no future for you’.
Wrapped in a purple and silver cover ( purple is the colour associated with royalty and wealth and silver was chosen for the Silver Jubilee) together with a photograph of the Queen herself with superimposed ‘blackmail’ lettering spelling out the song’s title and the band’s name, the design was a triumph for artist Jamie Reid.
Reid was heavily associated with artwork for the Sex Pistols, designing their record sleeves, logos and posters and used images of Queen Elizabeth II again and again in his work.
Hugely controversial to an extent unrivalled before or after in the UK, the song was not produced specifically for the Jubilee, nor was it, as assumed by many, to be an assault on the Monarchy. Nevertheless, it was hugely successful despite being banned from the airwaves with members of the band violently attacked by thugs defending the same establishment order that despised them.
The lyrics were written by the band’s vocalist John Lydon who later commentated: “It was expressing my point of view on the Monarchy in general and on anybody that begs your obligation with no thought. That’s unacceptable to me. You have to earn the right to call on my friendship and my loyalty’’.
“I was never pro them or anti them. I just think if we’re going to have a monarchy it may as well work properly. I mean, we pay for it, after all‘.
The film maker Derek Jarman directed the 1978 film Jubilee featuring established actors and a cast of ‘punks’.
The film’s title is a referance to the Silver Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II the previous year.
An angel in the form of Ariel (from Shakespeare’s The Tempest) transports Elizabeth I (played by the actress Jenny Runacre) to a run down, desolate London of the 1970’s where she meets a group of violent young women. She finds out that her future predecessor, Queen Elizabeth II, has been assassinated and Buckingham Palace has been turned into a recording studio. Our favourite performer in the film is the late Pamela Rooke, better known simply as ‘Jordan’, as the character ‘Amyl Nitrate’ in the film.
Jordan was iconic for her unique style. She was an early friend of the Sex Pistols and worked at the Sex clothes boutique (owned by designer Vivienne Westwood and the Pistol’s manager Malcolm Mclaren) where the group hung out.
Vivienne Westwood is now Dame Vivienne Westwood OBE having the honour bestowed upon her by Queen Elizabeth II for her services to fashion.
Jordan accompanied the Sex Pistols and Vivienne Westwood to their appearance at Andrew Logan’s Bermondsey studio for his February 1976 party
Speaking of icons…..‘there ain’t nothing like a Dame’.
Dame Shirley Veronica Bassey DBE is a Welsh legend and one of the most popular singers in Britain. She is also another artist associated with Jubilee year.
Bassey is renowned as the voice behind the Bond title songs, Goldfinger (a Grammy winner) and Diamonds Are Forever. Her performance of Goldfinger apparently influenced the Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin. For a singer there can be no higher accolade.
Bassey was appointed a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire(DBE) by Queen Elizabeth II in 1999 for services to the performing arts. She was one of the line-up of artists in June 2012 who performed at the Queens 60th (Diamond) Jubilee Party at Buckingham Palace singing “Diamonds Are Forever”.
A 20 feet high golden statue of Dame Shirley was unveiled a few years ago at Caernarfon castle on the Welsh coast, the castle where Prince Charles was crowned Prince of Wales by Queen Elizabeth II. Dame Shirley was sculpted in the pose of warrior queen Boudica (‘Buddug’ in the Welsh language). Boudica was an ancient Celtic queen who led a revolt against Roman rule in ancient Britain. The Welsh are a Celtic people and many there feel an affinity with Boudica even though she hailed from England where she was the Queen of a Celtic tribe.
Artist Jamie Reid has also referenced Boudica in his work.
ONE more….
Happy Jubilee.
FOOD, FILMS 'N' TINGS 