Arts & Culture
EXHIBITION: Civilisations Festival at Swindon Museum and Art Gallery

The Civilisations Festival is an exciting partnership between museums, galleries, libraries and archives and the BBC to coincide with the broadcast of BBC Arts’ Civilisations series in spring 2018.

The Festival, which runs from Friday 2 March to Sunday 11 March, showcases ideas and events designed to engage a “culturally curious” audience.

Swindon Museum and Art Gallery have signed up as a festival partner and will be running three special FREE lunch-time talks from March 6 to 9 at 12.30pm. The talks, titled ‘Take a Closer Look’, will each focus on a painting in Swindon collection.

Looking closely at the works of art, each talk will be looking at ‘What do these say about civilisation? Why are these art works important? What can they tell us about our history, our culture and society?’ as well as what they tell us about the artist, the time in which they were made, and the world we live in now.

Talks:

BBC Civilisations Festival: Take a Closer Look at the Potteries, by Julian Trevelyan (1938)

Wednesday March 7 | 12.30 pm to 1.00 pm | Free 

What does this painting tell us about industry and development? What is the role of art in holding a mirror to society? What can this painting tell us about modern day Britain?

BBC Civilisations Festival: Take a Closer Look at The Printer, by Sylvia Gosse (1915)

Thursday March 8 | 12.30 pm to 1.00 pm | Free  

What does this painting tell us about the status of women artists at the time and now, in the present day? Can we see Gosse’s experiences reflected in this painting? How has she been influenced by art from outside Britain?

BBC Civilisations Festival: Take a Closer Look at The Artist’s Sister, Deborah, by Mark Gertler (c.1911)

Friday March 9 | 12.30 pm to 1.00 pm | Free 

What does this painting tell us about Gertler’s life as a working-class Jewish artist? How does this painting reflect both his life and his aspirations for the future? What does it tell us about artistic outsiders?

All talks are free, and last for 30 minutes.

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For further information visit www.swindonmuseumandartgallery.org.uk

  • EXHIBITION: Civilisations Festival at Swindon Museum and Art Gallery
  • EXHIBITION: Civilisations Festival at Swindon Museum and Art Gallery