A Tale of Two Cities

May 23, 2018

This weekend I will be watching one of the biggest sports events of the year: The European Cup Final. Liverpool and Real Madrid will be competing for what is arguably the most world’s most revered football trophy for a city.  Both teams incite passion and pride from their loyal fans, not just from their respective cities but from people from all around the world.  As my other half is a Scouser then I know this all too well. 

Both cities are resplendent in grand architecture. In Liverpool’s case the confident and large scale, civic and commercial architecture of the 19^th and 20^th Century is a reflection of the city’s success as one of the world’s busiest ports. For Madrid, many of the grand buildings such as those that adorn the Gran Via, reflect the importance of Madrid as the centre of Spain’s political power and not just commercial interests.

Both cities are home to cathedrals that inspire: the Catedral de la Almudena in Madrid dominates the skyline as do the modernist Metropolitan and Anglican Cathedral in Liverpool as featured on my Cityscape but not as much as the Liverbird Building! 

Madrid’s food and bar culture is centred in the ancient Barrio de la Latina although you can get amazing tapas anywhere throughout the city. Liverpool’s food and retail sector is centred around the revitalised Albert Docks and newly constructed Liverpool One and as such is very much as feature of the 21^st Century unlike in Madrid, where people have been snacking on tapas and dining out on Menu Del Dias for centuries.

In my Madrid Cityscape a statue of a bear hugging a tree at the Puerta del Sol represents the centre of the city and Spain itself. In contrast, a statue of a Superlambanana, which I feature in my Liverpool Cityscape has now become an iconic landmark of the city and no doubt the focus of many an Instagram!  It’s so popular that I was asked to make a sewing kit of a Superlambana for one of our stockist in Liverpool … Utlility.  My work is also printed onto bags and sold in Liverpool Museum and local retailer Utility as well as throughout museums in Madrid including the Reine Sofia.

The sun shines bright over Madrid. The water flows beautifully past Liverpool.  Let’s see where the tears will flow and who the sun will be shining on this coming Saturday?!

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