Adventures in museums, galleries and the heritage sector
One of the things I love about working in museums is the opportunity to take a look at some of the more intriguing and unusual objects in their collections. At the Royal Pavilion & Museums Trust, we are lucky enough to have the Willett Collection of Popular Pottery in our collections. The collection is an … Continue reading Let them eat chips!
The first episode of the new series of Britain's Lost Masterpieces visited Brighton's Royal Pavilion & Museums Trust. In the show Bendor Grosvenor and Emma Dabiri investigated who painted two neglected pictures of religious subjects in the collections. If you missed the episode, you can catch up on BBC iPlayer here. I won't reveal any … Continue reading Domes and devotionals: Brighton’s hidden masterpieces
I'm very pleased to share that I will be giving a talk at Bexley Archaeological Group! The talk is called 'Fine views can be taken: Photography and Global Travel in the Nineteenth Century'. Listeners are cordially invited on a 'virtual tour', exploring the world through the eyes, photographs and writings of late nineteenth century Western … Continue reading Upcoming talk
The Royal Pavilion and Museums, where I am lucky enough to work, will feature in tonight's episode of Britain's Lost Masterpieces. The episode sees presenters Bendor Grosvenor and Emma Dabiri investigate who painted two neglected pictures of religious subjects in the collections. To watch, just tune in to BBC Four from 9pm this evening or … Continue reading Domes, dragons… and a painting or two!
If you've been following the news recently, you may have seen details of the government's plan to alter the route of the A303, the road that passes nearest to Stonehenge. Instead of moving the road away from the iconic World Heritage Site, the decision has been made to move the road underneath Stonehenge World Heritage … Continue reading Saving Stonehenge
The American painter, Helen Frankenthaler, described how 'every canvas is a journey all its own'. Dealing with the effects of coronavirus (COVID-19) has been similar - its own unique journey through uncharted terrain. Nowhere is this more true than in the world of museums and heritage; the phrase 'unprecedented times' has, perhaps, been overused, but … Continue reading A Journey All Its Own
Like many people I have been closely watching recent events in the United States. I wanted to express my sincere condolences to George Floyd’s family and to the families of others affected by police brutality all over the world. Racism is not acceptable in any form and certainly not in this day and age. I … Continue reading #BlackLivesMatter
I recently wrote a piece about eighteenth century architectural styles - in particular a style called Palladianism - at Preston Manor in Brighton. The short article was written for Brighton Museums, and is available to read on their website here. Enjoy!
Over on my social media I have been sharing a series called #AnArtworkADay. Once a week, I'm collecting together the artworks I have shared in a blog post. You can view the first week of #AnArtworkADay here, and today's blog post shares the second week of the series. Day 8: Hiroshige, Plum Garden at Kameido, … Continue reading #AnArtworkADay – Week 2
While he was Director of the National Gallery, the art historian Neil MacGregor said that 'art is not a luxury, but a necessity, a proper part of daily life'. Art is good for the eyes, enriches the soul, and in these trying times visual imagery is more important than ever. Over on my social media, … Continue reading #AnArtworkADay – Week 1
