India offers up a treasure trove of visual history through its impressive ancient temples, built by a succession of mighty dynasties, From the Pallavas to the Cholas, these beautifully decorated temples, covered with vivid and compelling sculpture, once acted as the religious, social and administrative centres of thriving communities. The temples employed casts of thousands — priests, sculptors, engravers, carpenters, sacred parasol bearers, dancing girls, musicians, lamplighters, administrators, accountants and many more. This lecture explores the fascinating temple tradition of India — a journey of 2,000 years.

An introduction to the beliefs and philosophy of Hinduism, the oldest religion in the world, through its wonderful art and sculpture.  Much of what we know about Hinduism comes not only from the sacred ancient texts but also the impressive sculptures and carvings of Hindu temples over a period of more than 1,500 years.

From the early beginnings of the religion, temples provided sites for worship, celebration and reflection.  These temple structures are populated with a myriad of gods and goddesses telling ancient stories.  The Hindu trinity of Brahma the Creator, Vishnu the Preserver, and Shiva the destroyer and their many avatars are central to Hindu belief and are portrayed through exquisitely carved statues and carvings which are examined in detail in this talk.

Importantly, Mughal art and architecture served another purpose; these powerful rulers were astute politicians and the magnificence of the Mughal court served as a highly successful form of propaganda, which provides a further fascinating topic for exploration.

From an Indian riverbed thousands of years ago to the Tower of London – the fascinating tale of the ‘Mountain of Light’.  The story of this celebrated diamond is not only intriguing but also full of surprises; it has been the subject of desire, jealousy, intrigue, passion and political chicanery.  We follow the journey of this fabulous diamond from the depths of early Indian history through the bloody era of the Mughals to the power and politics of the British Empire, illustrated by extraordinary artists who were committed to describing the events and emotions of their time.

At the birth of Indian Independence in 1947, a group of talented and determined artists set out to create a new art for a new country.  They drew on ancient artistic traditions and the influences of Euro-American Modernism but most importantly they also embraced a radical view of how Indian art could speak to its audience.

This movement, known as the Bombay Progressive Artists’ Group, created an art very much for and of its time – acting as witness to a country in turmoil and relating the fascinating story of transition and growth of the new India. This is an exploration of how art in the subcontinent threw off the yoke of colonial influence to create modern masterpieces and a thriving global business.

Shrines, stupas, cave temples, colonial grandeur and modernist architecture – a look at the history of this beautiful island through its intriguing art and culture.  For much of Sri Lanka’s past Buddhist and Hindu have lived alongside each other peaceably and much of its culture is evidence of this spirit of tolerance and generosity. The fascinating story of Sri Lankan art is explored alongside the original minds, talents and spirits that created this unique visual world.

Journey to 9th-century Java by exploring Borobudur, the world’s largest Buddhist monument. This talk explores its vast stone mandala, intricate relief carvings and serene stupas, revealing how architecture, sculpture and cosmology intertwine. Built by the ruling Sailendra dynasty and an edifice of huge importance in agrarian, cosmopolitan and court-centred medieval Javanese society, this sacred site operated at the centre of vital trade networks and royal patronage. We’ll trace Borobudur’s ritual function, symbolic geography and enduring artistic legacy within Buddhist visual culture

The Australian indigenous peoples possess the oldest continuous culture on our planet. From the extraordinary early rock and cave art to the modern oil painting, these artists are great storytellers, passing their mystic culture and sense of the sacred nature of the landscape down the generations.  This talk investigates the early beginnings of this fascinating art and traces its development to the modern day where it is exhibited in international galleries and sells for high prices on the world art market.

In the mid 19th century settlers arrived on the new continent of Australia and were astonished by the exotic landscape, climate and peoples they found there.  As part of the process of acclimatising to their new home, talented artists set about depicting this new land, leaving us with a fascinating legacy of art works – engaging and intriguing images of rugged landscapes, big skies, windswept coastlines, the drama of bushfires, and finally of new towns being built and homesteads created. We focus on the stories of settlement by investigating the fascinating art of these innovative times.

The story of the Heidelberg School — the first true Australian art form post-colonisation.  In the late 1800s talented artists from Britain arriving in the new country sought a way to describe the exotic and alien landscape around them and seized on the new ideas and ambitions of French Impressionism for their task.  However their skill and imagination soon progressed this project far beyond their chosen model, deeply influenced by the remarkable light and space of Australia. The painters of Heidelberg, a rural area near Melbourne, developed an artistic form that was more than simply a version of European art – they created a distinctive Australian practice that is admired to this day.

On March 18 1990, the ‘impossible’ happened — thirteen works of art, valued at a total of $500 million, were stolen from the great Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston.  Museum officials, police and security experts were completely baffled as to how this had happened.  Tragically, these great masterpieces have never been recovered; a devastating loss to the museum and its public.  To this day, the spaces where these art works hung, by Vermeer, Rembrandt, Degas and Manet, are marked by huge empty frames – a shocking reminder of this dramatic event.

This talk relates the story of the robbery and the fascinating police investigation that ensued, resulting in knowledge of how, why and by whom the theft was committed but leaving the crime officially ‘unsolved’.

How do you tell a fake from the real thing? With great difficulty! Hear the fascinating stories from behind the scenes of the great art museums of the world and examine both real and fake art works. This talk delves into the complex histories and consummate skills of some of the infamous forgers of the art world who have cleverly and successfully fooled the experts. Despite cutting-edge modern technology and the expertise of illustrious art historians and connoisseurs, fake art works continue to circulate on the market and even, occasionally, to make their way into museum collections. The recent troubling case of the $450 million Leonardo da Vinci masterpiece ‘Salvator Mundi’ is a case in point – dividing the experts on critical issues of authentication and restoration, revealing an art world that is ever in fear of the ‘perfect’ forgery.

The Guggenheim Museum stands out as a modern wonder, not only to the inhabitants of Bilbao, Spain but to the world. Opened in 1997 and designed by Canadian American architect Frank Gehry, its beautiful and startling curvilinear design is a marvellous example of groundbreaking 20th century architecture and a joy to behold. Complementing the exterior, the interior is full of modern masterpieces by Rothko, Warhol, Klein, Rauschenberg and others. This talk discusses this unique building and the role it played in the regeneration of the former docks area where it stands. We also look at highlights from the Guggenheim collection and the modern art revolution that these artists spearheaded.

‘Street Art’, regarded as one of the largest art movements of modern times, has achieved huge popularity and is still rapidly growing as an art form. It encompasses graffiti, protest art and monumental painted murals and is winning mass appeal. This talk explores the history of the medium from prehistoric times to the modern day and discusses how and why this art form has ended up as a mainstream art practice admired the world over.

Now in its 42nd year and one of the most celebrated art awards in the world, the prestigious Turner Prize presented by Tate, confers instant fame and guaranteed career success on its winner. It also frequently creates sensational headlines! We explore why the Prize engenders such heated debate about the purpose and ‘meaning’ of contemporary art; looking at the history of the Prize and some of the winning artists and their iconic artworks. A fascinating window into the world of contemporary art.

How well do you know your Surrealism or Cubism?  Abstract Expressionism or Pop Art?  This is a user-friendly reminder of some of the key movements of modern art and the intriguing historical, social and artistic triggers that brought them into being.  These art worlds were populated by some larger-than-life personalities whom this talk will investigate, illustrated throughout with iconic works of the 20th century.

Even if you only have a few pieces of art on your walls at home, you are already an art collector.  You have gone through the exact same process as any collector:  looking – thinking – selecting – exhibiting.  In effect your home is your gallery.

The subject of this talk is collecting art, both old and new, with the intention of reminding you of the pleasure to be had in surrounding yourself with objects you love and that communicate significant memories or sensations for you every day. We will consider the different motivations and types of collecting, including valuable tips regarding research, buying, care and conservation, selling and even investment. 

Looking at, talking about, and acquiring art is a fascinating adventure that is definitely enhanced by being well-informed!  

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For a study day, attendees are invited to bring in actual, or photos of, works of art for discussion.

The glitz and glamour of the ocean liner, from its 1920s heyday to modern times.  Early ship design and décor was often utilised to resemble a British stately home or an Italian palazzo and intended to imbue passengers with a sense of high comfort, status and luxury. Designers embraced different artistic styles, from neoclassical and baroque to art nouveau and art deco, to create ever more impressive and beautiful interiors.

This talk takes in exquisite gilded ballrooms, grand balustraded staircases and sumptuous panelled smoking rooms whilst examining the fascinating social and design history of these ‘floating palaces’.