Monday, 10th

19.30 GMT

Poetry Reading: Visions and Illusions

Join us for an unforgettable evening where literature comes to life! Amazing actor Matthew Peter-Carter will bring some of the most powerful and thought-provoking poems to life, immersing us in the beauty of language and emotion.

This session, we will explore poetry that blurs the line between reality and imagination.

Tuesday, 11th

18.00 GMT

Visualising Visions: art and mysticism across space and time

What type of art is made in altered states of consciousness, beyond the physical world, in connection with the divine? The history of art is filled with visions of other worlds, experiences of ecstasy and the invisible recesses of the mind. This talk looks at how humans visually depicted their experiences of the divine: from Sufi and Christian mysticism, heavenly landscapes in medieval Mexico and China, divination tools in ancient Rome and Mesopotamia to 20th century explorations into the mind with surrealism and hallucinogenic drugs.

Thursday, 13th

18.00 GMT

Visions and Illusions: Trompe l’Oeil

An Ancient Greek story tells of the competition between two artists Zeuxis and Parrhasius. Zeuxis painted grapes so lifelike, birds flew down to peck at the painting. Zeuxis tried to draw back the curtain covering the work of his rival artist Parrhasius, only to find out the curtain was painted too! This story tells us of what many still believe is one of the biggest pleasures of art: making us believe we are looking at the real thing. This talk is about some of the reasons, pleasures and movements of artists deceiving viewers.

Monday, 17th

19.00 GMT

Japanese Calligraphy – ‘imaginary illusion’

Join us for a captivating exploration of Japanese calligraphy as we dive into the theme of Visions and Illusions. This workshop will focus on the kanji 幻想 (gensō), a beautiful fusion of two profound ideas: the 幻 (maboroshi): illusion, the fleeting and unreal and 想 (sō): imagination, and contemplation. Together, these characters form 幻想, meaning “imaginary illusion” or “a vision detached from reality.” Through this session, we will reflect on how illusions and imagination intertwine to shape our perceptions and inspire creativity.

Tuesday, 18th

18.00 GMT

Unseen Energies: depicting the spirit in 19th and 20th century art

This talk introduces the spiritual artists of the late 19th century. We’ll discuss why they wanted to depict the soul and how we might approach their earnest work with our own present-day humanity.  From the spirit photographs, paintings and drawings by Hilma af Kilnt and Georgiana Houghton to the spiritual energies of colour, line and shape in the work of Piet Mondrian, Franz Marc and Wassily Kandinsky, we will explore how the development of abstract art in Europe was linked to a desire to depict unseen energies.

Thursday, 20th

18.00 GMT

Design and Divine Order: Geometric Patterns in Islamic Art

When and how did geometric patterns become so popular—and even characteristic—of Islamic art and design? This lecture will cover the origins of this millennia-old tradition, focusing on the development of geometric designs throughout the Middle East and North Africa’s medieval period. We will also talk about the debates surrounding the meaning of geometric ornament, how its visual complexity can be interpreted, and what it teaches us about the intellectual tradition of Islam’s Golden Age.

Tuesday 25th

18.00 GMT

AI and Word: A Study in Mechanical Dreams and Recursive Hallucinations (Part I)

Presented by B.Earl, a Hollywood writer and producer who has been involved with AI since 2017, our three part series will explore the polarizing conversation around using artificial intelligence as an artistic companion and creative entity. This series will journey from the written word to the visual pastiche and finally land in the sonic realm, taking us on a tour of what is being currently created as well as the direction we are headed. This event will discuss AI and written word: literature, poetry, copywriting and more.

Monday, 31st

18.00 GMT

Japanese Calligraphy – ‘deep focus’

Join our Japanese Calligraphy session and explore the profound concept of 夢中 (muchū) which evokes the state of being so deeply immersed in a dream or pursuit that one forgets everything else—a beautiful balance between focus, passion, and illusion. Whether you’re new to calligraphy or an experienced artist, this workshop is an opportunity to connect with the ephemeral beauty of Japanese aesthetics. Let your brush guide you into a state of creative flow as we explore the art of dreams and illusions.