Lectures

Inspired by Steve's appearance as an expert contributor in a Channel 5 documentary, this lecture is a sumptuously illustrated look at some outstanding ancient Greek artworks and the intriguing possibilities of their interpretation. In around 1625 BCE the thriving harbour town of Akrotiri on the island of Santorini was overwhelmed in a cataclysmic volcanic eruption that both destroyed and preserved one of the most wondrous sets of frescoes to emerge from the ancient world. Now beautifully restored, they give us extraordinary insights into the style, composition, and techniques of their incredibly gifted artists, as well as a record of the ships, architecture, dress, jewellery, and natural environment of Bronze Age Santorini. Could this 'Pompeii of the Aegean' show that the legend of Atlantis was inspired by one of the greatest natural disasters of the ancient world?
Dr. Steve Kershaw has had a special interest in the world of the Ancient Greeks and Romans ever since being introduced to Homer’s Iliad by an inspirational teacher at primary school.
He has taught Classics in a number of establishments, and now operates principally for Oxford University Department for Continuing Education. He also lectures regularly at the V&A and at New York University London.

By far the most common type of Arts and Crafts work in England’s churches is stained glass. Starting with one of the most ground-breaking schemes, Gloucester Cathedral’s Lady Chapel by Christopher Whall, this lecture will explore the works of local Cotswolds and Midlands-based designers such as Henry Payne, Paul Woodroffe and Sidney Meteyard. We will examine why so many stained glass designers were women and consider some of the key designers from Mary Lowndes to many of those who passed through the Glass House she started in Fulham. The techniques old and new, and the high-quality materials used created one of the most progressive and expressive periods in the history of stained glass in Britain, and influenced designers all around the world.

This lecture compares and contrasts the life and work of two iconic artists, Hokusai and Turner, through their work and the history of their times. They were contemporaries and share many similarities such as their humble origins, and early artistic promise. Learn about the many correlations in their life experiences from childhood to apprenticeship and early career choices. They were both entertaining showmen not lacking in self-confidence. There were differences too: Turner was accepted into the Royal Academy, part of the English establishment while Hokusai spent most of his life outside the established Japanese schools of Art. But it is in their maverick, independent, creative output that pushed the boundaries of their Art that they are most similar.

Founded in 1824, the National Gallery in London’s Trafalgar Square houses one of the world’s finest collections of European paintings, including such favourites as Jan Van Eyck’s ‘Arnolfini Marriage’, Sandro Botticelli’s ‘Venus and Mars’, John Constable’s ‘Cornfield’ and Vincent Van Gogh’s Sunflowers. In contrast to its peers, however, this institution did not begin its life as a royal collection: the Gallery was founded by parliament and remains reliant on public funding. This lecture uses highlights from the National Gallery’s collection to show how our vision of the ‘ideal’ art collection has evolved over time, along with ideas of the kinds of people the Gallery was supposed to serve.

The first decade of the twenty-first century saw the meteoric rise of this extraordinarily versatile British designer who went on to produce his acclaimed Olympic Cauldron, the iconic new London bus and a spectacular new HQ building for Google amongst many other award-winning projects. The Heatherwick Studio has used an intriguing combination of curiosity and experimentation to produce a vast range of solutions to design challenges around the world. This lecture looks at the problems presented, and the wonderfully creative ways in which Heatherwick and his team have responded.

This is the advice Noel Coward gives to Mrs Worthington and given that unemployment in the Actors’ Union runs at over 80 per cent, he may have a point. It’s not a career for the faint or half-hearted. In this lecture Simon Williams will try not to paint too gloomy a picture, but talk about the thrill and process of getting a part and how to prepare for it. There’ll be some advice about how to face those twin imposters: ‘triumph and disaster.’ We will learn about the mistakes he has made and the c***-ups (embarrassments) he has been party to – both on stage and off. There will also be advice on how to pick yourself up and dust yourself off, should the need arise.

For this lecture guests are asked to pay £15 and book in advance by contacting Elaine Parker on 01386 840326.