Edd was intent on showing me some of the nicer parts of the area, and I have to say - despite my stubbornness - he succeeded. We visited one of the largest old cloth-mills in the area - Salts Mill, in Saltaire village. Through the drizzle and the gloom loomed this magnificent building, and I have to say I almost agreed with the drunk man on the train.
The mill is no longer in use for its original purpose, and only a small fraction of the original building is being used now. It has since been converted into a shopping, dining and exhibition space; featuring the work of David Hockney.
This was really interesting, as I have admired his work since my GCSE art studies. I particularly enjoy Hockney's "Joiners" - photomontage pieces that portray scenes through various different perspectives. It was also fascinating to see the range in his work; from paintings to collage and from photomontage to poster design. I enjoyed the exhibition greatly.
What I loved most about the visit though, was the numerous juxtapositions within and surrounding the building. The old versus the new; the derelict versus the newly refurbished; the industrial versus the beautiful. A really interesting experience!
