We will look at Basquiat’s art and how it records and interprets Black history in the US in all of its complexities from jazz to film, colonization to police brutality.
Project Category: Art History Events
The cult of the Virgin: motherhood and the humanity of a Christian God
This talk explores the shifting image of the Virgin Mary, how She became the focus of art and prayer and how the humanity of motherhood set the standard, for better or worse, for women throughout Europe.
Matter Matters? Contemporary Art on Materialism
This session we will take a look at a broad range of Contemporary artists who, in their own ways, question the world they live in and draw attention to some of the key issues in our society right now. We will see examples of paintings, street art and monumental land sculptures by some of the key figures of Contemporary Art.
Object Lessons in Xenosolidarity
Dedicated to environmental thinking and attending to the structures of inequality that mediate the relations between human and non-human actants, this talk will explore how (art) objects can foster an encounter with alien perspectives, challenging us to fabricate new and better modes of coexisting.
Skywatching: Nancy Holt’s Sun Tunnels
Simple in appearance, yet complex in execution, Sun Tunnels is a philosophical reflection on time and the cycle of nature. This talk will explore the different facets of this artwork to help us to rethink our modern conceptions ‘progress’ and ‘time’.
Power and Legacy of the Outcast
We will be exploring the legacy of Mexican artist and writer, Nahui Olin and African American writer, Zora Neale Hurston to understand how these revolutionary women were highly celebrated in the 1920's and yet ended up being ostracised and forgotten.
Breaking Boundaries: The Ever-Evolving Art of Gerhard Richter
Through an examination of Richter's life and work, we will explore how Richter's unique perspective has allowed him to challenge traditional artistic conventions and push the boundaries of what art can be. We will also examine the ways in which his work reflects his personal experiences and the broader socio-political contexts in which he has lived and worked.
Rembrandt’s Old Men and Beggars
This lecture will explore Rembrandt’s humanity, what drove his interest in these subjects and how he made compelling and compassionate art about some of the marginalised citizens of Amsterdam.
Reclaiming the Female Body in Art
In this session we will focus on artists such as Louise Bourgeois, The Gorilla Girls and Jenny Saville - all of whom have created depictions of the female body from the perspective of women, for an audience of both women and men.
Beautiful Ruins: Turner’s Venice
By the end of the 18th century Venice, the great empire, had begun to fall into ruin. This lecture looks at the work of JMW Turner and his inspiration, the poet Lord Byron. It will explain and explore what Venice meant to them, how they saw beauty in its downfall while maintaining the concept its of elegant sophistication.