sponsor: Blevins Franks (website)
From train writing in New York to interactive technology that brings murals to life, the concept of un-commissioned public art is a very different beast to that which it once was.
Hidden Canvasses explores the key stages in street art's growth examining the different elements and styles that comprise the scene with no rules. From the international superstars to the local underground heroes you're guaranteed to leave knowing your Invader from your Aryz and who knows you might even start looking at the world a little differently.
About Doug Gillen
Heavily involved in documenting the street art scene in London and abroad through his project Fifth Wall TV, and can offer a genuine insight into this world. Previously lectured for London Art and More, and when not filming he is an East End tour guide for Alternative London, specialising in culture and art.
Doug on YouTube
sponsor: La CaixaBank (website)
At the helm of the country’s artistic patronage was King Philip IV, one of the greatest collectors of art throughout Europe. His well-honed instinct for talent drew him to the young, brilliant Diego Velázquez who would become his court painter, recording his likeness and that of his family for over 30 years.
Velazquez soon became internationally recognised as the greatest artist of his generation, praised for his ability to capture a sitter’s personality or mood and admired for his mysterious, varied and often provocative subjects and interpretations.Many of his paintings are deliberately enigmatic, creating heated debate even today. This lecture will trace the rise of his glittering career at one of the most illustrious courts in Europe.
About Siân Walters
Studied at Cambridge University. Lecturer at the National Gallery and Surrey University, specialising in 15th and 16th century Italian painting, Spanish art & architecture, and the relationship between dance and art. Also teaches private courses, and organises lectures, study days and art holidays abroad. Has lived in France and Italy, where she worked at the Peggy Guggenheim Museum in Venice.
Sian's website
sponsor: Avalon Funeral Plans (website)
In this lecture Bertie Pearce looks at the life and places of Dickens while interspersing the events with readings of his works. A truly Dickensian experience.
About Bertie Pearce
Bertie Pearce talked to us about Wonder Workers & The Art of Illusion in 2010, Punch and Judy in 2013 and entranced us with his magic at a lunch in November 2015.
sponsor: The Anniversary´Friend of The Arts Society´ Lecture
The lecture focuses on the architectural, horticultural and artisanal legacy of Islamic Spain with a tour of the most important buildings of Andalusia including Córdoba's hauntingly beautiful Mezquita, Seville's memorable Alcazar and Giralda Tower and the exquisite Alhambra Palace in Granada.
Water was an essential component of the Islamic garden and fountains still dazzle in the beautiful Generalife garden adjacent to the Alhambra whilst providing a mirror-like calm in the depths of the water mine in Ronda's Casa del Rey Moro.As Muslim power waned during the Reconquista followed by the power of the Habsburg monarchs, elements of Moorish architectural, musical and aesthetic heritage survived and synthesised with the new Christian culture. The lecture concludes with the passion for the art of Andalusia shown by Victorian artists including Owen Jones and William de Morgan and later writers and artists such as Gerald Brennan and Dora Carrington.
About Anne Haworth
Lecturer at the V&A. Guide for private tours of the State Rooms and The Queen's Gallery at Buckingham Palace. Lecturer in British Painting for American students resident in London. In Autumn 2002, catalogued collection of Chinese porcelain at Kensington Palace. From 2002 2005, a committee member of the French Porcelain Society. From 1995 2002, was resident in Shanghai, China, visited ancient kiln sites and lectured to expatriate groups. From 1981 1995, trained and became a senior ceramics specialist at Christie's and Bonhams head offices.
sponsor: Solatube (website)
About Anne Anderson
Graduated in Art History and Archaeology from Leicester University in 1978 and worked as an archaeologist for 8 years, being elected to the Society of Antiquaries in 1997. 1993-2007 senior lecturer on the Fine Arts Valuation degree courses at Southampton Solent University, specialising in the Aesthetic Movement, Arts & Crafts, Art Nouveau and Modernism. She is currently Hon. Research Fellow at Exeter University; a Fletcher Jones Fellow of the Huntington Library, CA; a fellow of the Henry Francis Du Pont Winterthur Museum and Library; Cumming Ceramic Research Foundation Fellow (2007 and 2010) and consultant for Lord Frederic Leighton's Studio-House, Kensington. Her 2008 exhibition Ancient Landscapes, Pastoral Visions Samuel Palmer to the Ruralists attracted some 47,000 visitors. She has published books on Roman pottery, Art Deco teapots and Edward Burne-Jones. A NADFAS lecturer since 1993, Anne toured Australia in 2000, 2006, 2009 and has lectured on cruises. Her television credits include BBC's Flog It! Anne is also a tutor at the V&A on the Chardin to Cézanne year course.
sponsor: Dentadanes and Olé Optica
Including live music and dancing by Company Antonio Guerra.
Andalusia in southern Spain is the heartland of Flamenco. It is an artistic expression fusing song (cante), dance (baile) and musicianship (toque). ‘Cante’ is performed by a seated solo singer. The gamut of feelings and states of mind – grief, joy, tragedy, rejoicing and fear – can be expressed through sincere and expressive lyrics. Flamenco ‘baile’ is a dance of passion, of courtship, expressing a wide range of emotions from sadness to joy. ‘Toque’, the art of guitar playing has long surpassed its original role as an accompaniment. Hand clapping and foot stamping are also employed.
There are more than 50 different rhythms. We will be looking at a few of them in detail. Happy rhythms, like Alegría and Bulería and sad ones like Soleá or Seguirilla; simple ones with a 4 beat like the Tango (the Flamenco Tango, not the Argentinian one!) or the most complicated ones with a 12 beat like the Bulería; rhythms from Cádiz and Jerez, the very heart of the Flamenco, but also others that have been influenced by other cultures like the Fado and Cuban music.Come and let yourself be seduced into this very passionate world of Flamenco!
sponsor: de Cotta Law (website)
‘Lawrence of Arabia’ is an early 20th century instance of celebrity culture. Neil will analyse the invention and re-invention of the legend from 1919 onwards through memoirs, photos, films, paintings, biographies, and documentaries.
He will then contrast the legend with the biography of the man himself, focusing on key aspects of his early years and his character which equipped him to play – or to seem to play – a particular role in the Arab Revolt of 1916 to 1918.In addition, Neil will review the numerous well-preserved archaeological remains of the conflict, mainly along the line of the former Hijaz Railway, have been the subject of a ten-year programme of field research led by Neil and his close colleague Professor Nick Saunders. Neil will summarise the key findings.
He will also offer a new narrative and analysis of the war based on the archaeological evidence, leading to a new assessment both of Lawrence’s role and achievements, and of the relationship between art and reality in the creation of ‘celebrity’.
About Neil Faulkner
Educated at King's College Cambridge and Institute of Archaeology UCL. Works as lecturer, writer, archaeologist and occasional broadcaster. Research Fellow, University of Bristol. Editor, Military History Monthly. Director, Sedgeford Historical and Archaeological Research Project. Director, Great Arab Revolt Project. Author of The Decline and Fall of Roman Britain, Apocalypse, Hidden Treasure, Rome: Empire of the Eagles, and The Ancient Greek Olympics: a visitor's guide. Author of forthcoming Lawrence of Arabia's War. Major TV appearances include Channel 4's Time Team, BBC2's Timewatch, Channel Five's Boudica Revealed and Sky Atlantic's The British.
sponsor: Currencies Direct (website)
It was directed by David Lean, produced by Sam Spiegel and stars Peter O'Toole in the title role.
The film is widely considered one of the greatest and most influential films in the history of cinema. The dramatic score by Maurice Jarre and the Super Panavision 70 cinematography by Freddie Young are also highly acclaimed.The film was nominated for ten Oscars at the 35th Academy Awards in 1963; it won seven in total: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Original Score, Best Cinematography (Color), Best Art Direction (Color), Best Film Editing and Best Sound Mixing. It also won the Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture - Drama and the BAFTA Awards for Best Film and Outstanding British Film.
The film depicts Lawrence's experiences in the Arabian Peninsula during World War I, in particular his attacks on Aqaba and Damascus and his involvement in the Arab National Council. Its themes include Lawrence's emotional struggles with the personal violence inherent in war, his own identity, and his divided allegiance between his native Britain and its army and his new-found comrades within the Arabian desert tribes. As well as O'Toole, the film stars Alec Guinness, Jack Hawkins, Anthony Quinn, Omar Sharif, Anthony Quayle, Claude Rains and Arthur Kennedy. In 1991, the film was deemed "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant" and selected for preservation in the United States Library of Congress National Film Registry. In 1998, the American Film Institute placed it 5th on their 100 Years...100 Movies list, and 7th on their 2007 updated list. In 1999, the British Film Institute named the film the 3rd greatest British film of all time.
“Othello” continues to be successful as a play (of course), but to date it has also inspired two operas, three ballets and at least twenty-seven films. But who was Othello? What is it about him that fascinates us so much? Is he a murderer - a wife killer - or a victim? What happened to the deep love he felt for Desdemona? Did he actually exist or did Shakespeare simply make him up? If so, why?
This lecture will try to make some sense of it all and offers an insight into the world of “Othello”. It contains live readings, video recordings, music and interviews.
About Penni Wilson
Penni Wilson was a college lecturer at Bradford before she retired to live in Spain. Since then she has been involved in many of the local clubs and activities, including being Membership Secretary for NADFAS (now the Arts Society Nerja) for many years. She now continues to be involved with the amateur dramatics group, the Nerja Players, with whom she was also a presenter for many years on their weekly radio broadcast.
sponsor: Blevins Franks (website)
About John Iddon
Lecturer and Guide at both Tate Britain and Tate Modern. Ran an MA course in Heritage Interpretation at St Mary's University College. Has lectured freelance to numerous art societies, to the National Trust and the Peggy Guggenheim Gallery in Venice. Lectures on art for cruises. In 2012, he wrote the new guidebook to the newly opened Strawberry Hill.
sponsor: Dr Rik Heymans (website)
This talk will provide an introduction to the history of the discovery of this culture; to its principal features; and to what archaeology, oral traditions and, more recently, palaeobotanical evidence have combined to teach us about the island’s cultural rise and decline, its environmental crisis, and the lessons all this can teach us about how we look after the Earth as a whole.
About Paul Bahn
Studied archaeology at the University of Cambridge, and completed PhD thesis (1979) on the prehistory of the French Pyrenees. Has held post-doctoral fellowships, at Liverpool and London, plus a J. Paul Getty postdoctoral fellowship in the History of Art and the Humanities. Devotes time to writing, editing and translating books on archaeology, plus occasional journalism and as much travel as possible. Main research interest is prehistoric art, especially rock art of the world, and most notably Palaeolithic art, as well as Easter Island. Led the team which, at his instigation, searched for and discovered the first Ice Age cave art in Britain (at Creswell Crags) in 2003.
sponsor: Verano Azul (website)
The lecture will look at the various formats and uses of art, tracing foreign artists from the Tudor period through to the Renaissance and Baroque, looking at their origins and how they came to work in England.
It will examine the contributions of artists such as Holbein, Gerrit van Honthorst, Marcus Gheeraerts the younger, Lucas and Susanna Horenbout, Isaac Oliver, Paulus van Somer, van Dyck, Peter Lely, and Rubens.This lecture will look at how these artists influenced the British School of painting and assess their legacy.
Short Bibliographic Reading List:
About Leslie Primo
Leslie Primo holds a BA in Art History and an MA in Renaissance Studies from Birkbeck College, University of London. Was Visiting Lecturer in Art History at the University of Reading in 2005 and 2007, and gives lectures and guided tours, plus special talks, at both the National Gallery and the National Portrait Gallery. Also lectures at the City Literary Institute, and has presented a series of talks at the National Maritime Museum and the Courtauld Institute.
Leslie entertained us with "The Cult of the South Pacific: from Cook to Gauguin" in 2011 and "The Divine Michelangelo" in 2014.