Monday, 6th

19.00 GMT

Japanese Calligraphy – ‘year of the snake’

We are thrilled to announce our first Japanese Calligraphy workshop in 2025! In this session, we will explore the kanji 巳年 (Hebi-doshi), representing the Year of the Snake in the Japanese zodiac. Together, we will appreciate the spirit of the new year’s sign, diving into its rich symbolism and the broader zodiac system. Additionally, we’ll reflect on how time is perceived in Japanese culture, connecting it to our January theme, Passage of Time.

Wednesday, 8th

18.00 GMT

Art and the Perception of Time

How do you tell an entire story, with events taking place at different moments in time, on one single 2D canvas? This is one of the challenges why narrative paintings have been seen as the most prestigious and skilfully done works of art possible, ever since the Renaissance. The cerebral aspect of an artist’s ability to understand their power in the manipulation of time in their paintings is the topic of this talk. In this talk we will look at how artists freeze and release, speed up and slow down, focus and distort, making ‘Ars Longa’ while ‘Vita Brevis’!

Monday, 13th

19.30 GMT

Poetry Reading: Passage of Time

Sonnet 12 – William Wordsworth

Counting Backwards – Linda Pastan

To His Coy Mistress – Andrew Marvell

The Passing of Time – Mary Ruefle

Time, Real and Imaginary – Samuel Taylor Coleridge

Wednesday, 15th

19.00 GMT

Aging Across Cultures: A Journey Through Art and Generational Perspectives

Come along on an eye-opening journey that explores how different cultures perceive aging and how these views are beautifully captured in art. In this engaging presentation, we’ll dive into the diverse ways societies celebrate, challenge, and reflect on the aging process. From heartwarming portraits of elders in traditional Asian artworks to the bold expressions of youth in modern Western pieces, we’ll uncover the stories behind these creations.

Thursday, 16th

18.00 GMT

Masters of Time: How Switzerland Became the Epicentre of Watchmaking

This presentation winds back the clock through 500 years of horological history and explores how Switzerland became the epicentre of watchmaking. How did this small, landlocked country come to dominate the world of horology? And why are Swiss watches synonymous with luxury, commanding such high prices today? Through stories of innovation, resilience, and serendipity, you’ll gain a deeper understanding, and appreciation, of why Swiss watches continue to captivate enthusiasts and collectors worldwide.

Wednesday, 22nd

18.00 GMT

Time: Creating a Meaningful Life and a Peaceful Death from Buddhist Perspective

This session will guide us through profound perspectives on understanding the value of our lives, recognising their impermanence, and exploring why the study of the dying process is central to Himalayan Buddhism. This talk connects deeply with our monthly theme, Passage of Time, offering a Buddhist lens on the fleeting nature of our time on Earth. Join us for this thought-provoking event followed by discussion with the audience.

Thursday, 23rd

18.30 GMT

Moments in Time: How Artists Chronicle Society

The talk will examining how changing trends in art are influenced by the evolving times. We will delve into how artists act as mirrors to society, capturing moments that reflect the cultural, political, and social climates of their eras. The discussion will question how much we can truly understand or relate to art from past periods, given our different perspectives today. Focusing on iconic artists such as Warhol, Haring, Rosenquist, and Hockney, we will explore how their works document their times while continuing to resonate with us in the present.

Tuesday, 28th

18.00 GMT

Shaping Time: the Foundations of Mayan Art and Architecture

Like most Indigenous cultures, the Mayans developed a complex, multi-faceted explanation of their relationship to the natural world and the cosmos. This talk introduces the elements of the Mayan calendrical system as a way to begin to understand Mayan culture. After this introduction, we delve into artworks and architecture that give visual form to their concepts of time, the creation of the Mayan cosmos and the afterlife.

Wednesday, 29th

18.00 GMT

From Eternity to Infinity: God and the Mystery of Time

This lecture will delve into the complex and enduring questions surrounding the nature of God and the concept of time. We will explore the traditional theological understanding of God as eternal and unchanging, transcending the limitations of time. This will lead to a discussion of divine foreknowledge and providence, examining how God’s knowledge of future events relates to human free will. We will develop a deeper appreciation of the intricate relationship between God and time, and the profound implications of these concepts for our understanding of the universe and our place within it.