Can you feel the change in the air? Spring is here!
The perfect time to freshen up your knowledge of all things on land to sea. From Claude Monet’s lily ponds to the deepest depths of the ocean – there’s a sea full of fascinating facts to keep you entertained.
Bringing you back to land, did you know that the Ukraine is biggest honey producers of the world? It looks like our Dutch Barn hives have some catching up to do!
Here is Corinne Jones to tell you the latest buzz in the world of culture.
11th April at 2.00pm Celtic and Roman Britain
The Romans knew about Britain long before Julius Caesar arrived in 55BC and had already started trading with the British kings but after Caesar’s two expeditions, relations became much closer with many Britons aspiring to the high lifestyle of the Romans. A century after Caesar’s adventure his distant relative the Emperor Claudius conquered a large part of Britain and extended the relationship between the Romans and the Britons for another 400 years.
During that time there was the famous revolt by Boudicca, the building of Hadrian’s Wall, visits from later emperors and attempts by generals in Britain to usurp the imperial crown. Join Dr William Sterling to learn more.
12th April at 5.30pm The Stained Glass Window Museum
Join Art UK and Jasmine Allen, Director and Curator, for an exciting exploration of some notable works from this collection on 12th April 2023, 5:30pm. In this talk, discover the development of stained glass from the 13th century to the 21st century.
Art Unlocked is delivered over Zoom Webinar and can be accessed via the event page once you have registered. There will be a short Q&A session after the talk.
13th April at 7pm The Marine World
The marine world is a fascinating one, mostly hidden from view but vital to all of us in so many different ways. This talk, based on Frances Dipper's recent book “The Marine World: A Natural History of Ocean Life” will introduce you to that world and its inhabitants and take you from the seashore, out into the open ocean and down to the deepest depths.
15th April at 4pm. Claude Monet
Join for an online/virtual tour of Claude Monet's home and gardens in Giverny, France!
Claude Monet lived and painted in Giverny from 1883 to his death in 1926. He purchased a house and property and began a vast landscaping project which included lily ponds that would become the subjects of his best-known works. He began painting the water lilies in 1899, first in vertical views with a Japanese bridge as a central feature and later in the series of large-scale paintings that was to occupy him continuously for the next 20 years of his life. Monet gained much of his inspiration from his gardens and believed it was important to surround himself with nature and paint outdoors.
18th April at 2pm Exploring East of the City of London
Take a virtual stroll with City Guide Jill Finch to explore east of the City - just outside the old walls. Once a rural retreat and home to a medieval priory, it became a haven for immigrants which turned into an infamous slum. These days it is seen as a great place to live, work and party and its streets have so many stories to tell.
26th April at 4pm Films and Special Effects
In recent decades, special effects have become a major new area of research in cinema studies. For the most part, they have been examined as spectacles or practical tools. In contrast, 'Special Effects and the German Silent Film' foregrounds their function as an expressive device and their pivotal role in cinema's emergence as a full-fledged art. Special effects not only shaped the look of iconic films like Nosferatu (1922) or Metropolis (1927), but they are central to a comprehensive understanding of German silent film culture writ large.
This book examines special effects as the embodiment of a "techno-romantic" paradigm that seeks to harness technology - the epitome of modern materialism - as a means for accessing a spiritual realm. Employed to visualise ideas and emotions in a medium-specific way, special effects thus paved the way for film art.
27th April at 7.30pm Crimes and Misdemeanours
Sometimes these incidents have been clear-cut cases of lawbreaking, but in others, the distinction is less clear. City Archivist, Phil Astley, presents a selection of these rule breakers over the centuries which demonstrates the range of material held by the Archive.
27th April at 7pm. Bees and the Ukraine
Ukraine is one of the biggest honey producers in the world. The bees gather nectar from a diverse range of stunning landscapes, producing a wonderful range of delicious honeys.
Dmytro will introduce us to Ukraine as a country - its geography, landscape, and forage, as well as looking at the impact that the war has had on the country’s life and economy. He will also describe beekeeping in Ukrainian in general, as well as the specifics of Ukrainian beekeeping and honey, and the effect of war on bees, beekeepers and forage.
To watch at your leisure
The Rise of the Valkyrie: Mythical and Real Women of the Viking world - Johanna Fridriksdottir
And
A talk on Concealed Objects in Churches used to ward off evil spirits