ART HISTORY FESTIVAL 2023 – London and National

Discover the vibrant colours of National Trust wallpapers and interiors, and their inspiration for contemporary wallpapers by the renowned paint company, Little Greene.

From Chinese blue and white porcelain to Japanese gold on black lacquer, the colours of East Asian decorative art have had a dramatic impact upon British interior design from the early seventeenth century onwards, and they continue to inspire today.

Emile de Bruijn, Assistant National Curator Decorative Arts at the National Trust joins us to discuss how the sophistication of imported East Asian luxury goods reinforced the European admiration for China and Japan as advanced civilisations, how Europeans copied and adapted Asian styles and motifs and how hybrid products like Chinese export wallpapers emerged out of these processes of international trade and interaction – all sparking a European love affair with intense colour across the arts.

We will then be joined by Simon Hutchinson, Colour Consultant who will explain how Little Greene has taken inspiration from original wallpapers in the collection of some of the National Trust’s most treasured historic landmarks — redrawing, and recolouring designs for the modern interior.

Whether you’re an interior design enthusiast, a history buff, or simply looking to revamp your home, this event is for you!

Delve into the vibrant world of Frank Bowling, one of Britain’s most celebrated artists.

We are honoured to be joined by Ben Bowling, who has a close relationship with his father, and curator Elena Crippa. Together, they will share insights from their many conversations with the artist and their deep knowledge of him, and of his life and work. They will also share with us Frank’s recent reflections made exclusively for this event!

From his early days in Guyana to his remarkable career in London, be inspired by the boundless creativity of this renowned Black British artist, renowned for his groundbreaking abstract paintings. Immerse yourself in a kaleidoscope of hues as we explore the power of colour in Frank Bowling’s captivating artworks, its significance for him, and its impact on our emotions.

We’ll also reflect on the creation of his archive, and his own role in shaping his future legacy and positioning within the art historical canon.

Ben Bowling is Professor of Criminology at King’s College London and as co-director of the Frank Bowling Studio (with his brother, Sacha Bowling) he leads a professional studio team working with galleries and museums to free Sir Frank to make the critically acclaimed work that is at the heart of his painting practice.

Elena Crippa is about to join London’s Whitechapel Gallery as Head of Exhibitions. Until recently, she was Senior Curator of Modern and Contemporary British Art at Tate Britain for ten years, where her exhibitions included All Too Human: Bacon, Freud and a Century of Painting Life (2018), Frank Bowling (2019), Paula Rego (2021) and the 2022 commission Hew Locke: The Procession. She has published widely on many aspects of post-war and contemporary art.

Join Founder and Director Ayo Adeyinka and Gallery Director Sadie Sherman for an exclusive, in-person tour of the renowned TAFETA gallery, and hear their insights into the creative process of Guadeloupe-based artist Alain Joséphine, whose works will be on show. Immerse yourself in the colourful abstract creations of this extraordinary artist and find out why TAFETA, founded in 2013, is the leading purveyor of some of the most important 20th-century artists of African extraction.

Colour is Mine was the first major retrospective conceived to explore the work of the Scottish designer Althea McNish (1924–2020), one of the UK’s most innovative textile artists and the first designer of Caribbean descent to gain international recognition for her textile designs. She described her use of colour as instinctive and imaginative, declaring ‘what is there to be afraid of’ when it comes to colour.


This online talk by textile historian and curator Rose Sinclair will focus on McNish’s innate use of colour in her designs and artwork as seen through the curatorial lens of the Colour is Mine exhibition that took place at the William Morris Gallery and The Whitworth during 2022–2023.

Rose Sinclair is a Lecturer (Textiles) in Design Education, in the Design Dept, Goldsmiths, University of London. She was co- curator of the Colour is Mine exhibition.

Join us for an evening of vibrant discussion as we delve into The World According to Colour.

BAFTA-nominated broadcaster and art historian James Fox explores humankind’s extraordinary relationship with colour with esteemed broadcaster and artist Andrew Marr. From Bronze Age Gold to Yves Klein Blue, explore the fascinating world of colour, its historical significance, and its impact on art, culture, and society. This in-person event promises to be an enlightening experience, revealing the myriad meanings that have been attached to the colours around us and the ways these have shaped our culture and imagination. Gain a fresh perspective on the power and meaning of colour and see the world in a whole new light!

James Fox is Director of Studies in History of Art at Emmanuel College, Cambridge, and a BAFTA-nominated broadcaster. His many acclaimed BBC television documentaries include programmes about British art, Japanese culture and an enduringly popular history of colour in art.

Andrew Marr is best known as a television presenter and as a writer; but his greatest passion is for painting. He has exhibited at exhibitions including a solo show, Strokes of Colour, at Corke Gallery in Liverpool in 2017 and the Scuola Grande di San Marco during the Venice Biennale in 2018. Andrew is an honorary member of the Royal Society of British Artists.

This event is organised by the Association for Art History in conjunction with City Lit as part of Art History Festival 2023.

Dr Adrienne L. Childs and Dr Nicola Jennings discuss The Colour of Anxiety: Race, Sexuality and Disorder in Victorian Sculpture which they recently guest curated at the Henry Moore Institute, Leeds with the Institute’s Head, Laurence Sillars.

Showing images from the exhibition, they review the challenges of presenting to a contemporary audience a selection19th century sculptures and paintings which responded to and reinforced problematic conceptions of the female body, race and sexuality. They also consider the positive response to the exhibition by the general public and local and national press, and how the experience demonstrates that a diverse range of visitors are interested and receptive to pre-modern artworks if they are interpreted in relevant ways.

Dr Childs is Adjunct Curator at the Phillips Collection, Washington D.C. and independent scholar.

Dr Jennings is Director, Athena Art Foundation and Visiting Lecturer at the Courtauld Institute of Art.

Laurence Sillars is Head of the Henry Moore Institute, Leeds.

Introducing “Shining Lights,” a critical anthology delving into the ground-breaking achievements of Black women photographers in the UK during the 1980s and 1990s. This publication, adorned with captivating images, unlocks a treasure trove of British photographic history including a remarkable range of colour work reflecting the diversity of practice during the period. This very important book sheds light on a significant and regrettably overlooked chapter. 

Join Joy Gregory and Roshi Naidoo for an Online presentation and in conversation to witness the publication’s vibrant stories unfold and breathe life into the experiences of Black women photographers during this transformative period. Gain an intimate and authentic understanding of what it truly meant to be a trailblazing Black woman working with photography in that  dynamic  era. 

Joy Gregory is an artist with a photographic practice focused on social and political issues, particularly exploring the history and cultural differences in present in contemporary society. 

Roshi Naidoo is an independent writer and researcher with an interest in the connection between stories told in museums and how a nation imagines itself. 

Join this informal study session, in close proximity to original ceramics of the 19^th century and earlier. It discusses and shows the variety of pigments and glazes which colour ceramics in 19^th century China. The derivation, symbolism and use of colour is also considered. This special event is led by Jessica Harrison-Hall, Head of the China Section and Curator of the Sir Percival David Collections of Chinese Ceramics at the British Museum. She is also co-curator of the current Citi exhibition China: the hidden century.

This event lasts 30 mins, so, please arrive at the PDC Study Room punctually.
Please note: large bags should be deposited in the Museum’s Public Cloakrooms beforehand.

One in 12 men (8%) and one in 200 women (.5%) are red-green colour blind. While people with normal colour vision see over one million hues of colour, the colour blind only see about 10% of them. To these people, colours appear dull, washed out and some colours are hard to tell apart. EnChroma glasses help those with colour vision deficiency see a broader range of vibrant, clear and distinct colour.

Join Cecilia Gerosa from EnChroma who will present a complimentary talk on the revolutionary Enchroma colour-blindness glasses which are assisting people with this deficiency and enabling them to view the true colours in works of art.

The interplay of colour and perception in art is undeniably a multifaceted and intriguing aspect of artistic expression. The very act of assigning names to colours is a remarkably complex endeavor. The human eye can perceive an astounding array of hues, shades, and tones, each carrying its own unique emotional resonance. Yet, language often struggles to capture the nuance and subtlety of these visual experiences. Artists and theorists have grappled with this challenge for centuries, endeavoring to convey the essence of colours through words, ultimately highlighting the limitations of linguistic expression when it comes to the richness of the visual world.

This confluence of historical and environmental factors underscores the notion that colour, while central to the visual arts, remains an enigmatic and elusive element that defies easy categorization and discussion. In essence, it is precisely this elusiveness that makes color one of the most intriguing and enduring challenges in the world of art.

Join Christie’s Education Lecturer, Ben Street, as he explores these rarely discussed topics.

The VS1: Embodiment launch event will celebrate the opening of the 2023 East Wing Biennial. The event will include guided tours of the exhibition, performance art pieces, and talks from the exhibition directors and curators. We aim to bring together students, alumni, and friends of the Courtauld to celebrate the past, present, and future of the East Wing Biennial.

The ‘VS1: Embodiment’ launch event is a revival and reimagining of the East Wing Biennial, a long-standing Courtauld student tradition. The 2023 Biennial, taking place for the first time in Vernon Square, will present a cross-disciplinary, contemporary art exhibition with works by both established and up-and-coming young artists, alongside a programme of events.

VS1 will showcase the theme of Embodiment, delving into the relationship between body and self as an exploration of sexuality, ageing, identity, and power.

Colour was central to the Futurist aesthetic, representing an important means by which those artists associated with F. T. Marinetti’s explosive movement could express their optimism about the modern industrial age, explore concepts such as synaesthesia and convey different ‘states of mind’.

This informal talk with Assistant Curator Christopher Adams will take the Estorick’s unrivalled collection of Futurist masterpieces as a starting point for reflecting on such ideas. Beginning with a consideration of the Divisionist principles that dominated the movement’s initial phase, it will go on to explore a number of colour theories outlined by Futurist painters ranging from Giacomo Balla to Carlo Carrà, Fillia and Enrico Prampolini.

Discover the art and illusion behind Dazzle camouflage with IWM’s Dazzle Design Studio at IWM London. Play a game of nautical hide and seek this September. Inspired by the work of artist Norman Wilkinson, explore how this experimental camouflage involving bold designs and shapes, made it possible to hide something the size of a battleship.

In our Dazzle Design hub, families can create their very own designs and find out how optical illusions and tricks of the eye can be used to confuse and disorientate. You can even test your creations through a telescope on the high seas without having to leave dry land.

iniva is delighted to invite you to our annual book sale – a one week sales event at the Stuart Hall Library, that will feature a reduction of 50% or more on over 40 iniva titles with prices from £1! Every purchase comes with a free mystery publication while stocks last.

iniva has been publishing since 1994 on subjects including identity politics, art history and monographs on artists from the Global Majority. Titles include the renowned Annotating Art Histories series edited by Kobena Mercer (normally £15.95 / sale price from £5 each) and Reading the Contemporary: African Art from Theory to the Market Place edited by Olu Oguibe and Okwui Enwezor (normally £20 / sale price £5).

And alongside our own titles browse and buy our limited editions, sign up to our library and get your hands on our FREE library duplicates.

This is the best opportunity to pick up a favourite title or gift from as little as £1, or chose a bundle for a further discount! Sales prices will be available in person only!

iniva is a registered charity and all of our publications income supports the work we do in developing & sustaining International artistic, research and education praxis and keeping the Stuart Hall Library free to the public.

For enquiries including overseas shipping or online sales contact Jenny Starr: jstarr@iniva.org

‘Source Material’ celebrates the results of the Zsuzsi Roboz Scholarship, an annual prize awarding two artists access to courses across Morley College. 22/23 winners Lauren Goldie and Eimhin Moran spent the year rethinking materials and process to consider constructed, social and extraterrestrial landscapes. Works examine the influence of standardisation within society and the consequences of expansion into outer space. The exhibition contrasts raw and polished colours to explore the interplay between natural and synthetic materials in shaping future landscapes. 

‘Source Material’ will launch with a private view on the 14th of September 6-8pm and remain open until the 29th of September (Mon-Fri 12-5pm, Sat 1-5pm). The artists will host a live discussion and tour of the exhibition on Saturday 23rd of September 2-3pm.

Brixton Life Drawing’s Bex and Anya lead a life drawing session exploring the harmonious and decorative colours found within Room 9. 

Drawing on their background as textile designers, capture the fabric and costumes of models who bring to life these 16th-century Venetian paintings.

All materials are provided and the session is suitable for all levels.

Brixton Life Drawing is the brainchild of homeware textile designers Bex and Anya. They met through work and in December 2019 made their life drawing dreams a reality. They offer both in-person and online classes that are fun, inclusive and a great way to get those creative juices flowing. Whether you’re a complete beginner or the next Van Gogh, all experience levels are welcome. Their classes have been featured in The Evening Standard, The Guardian and Time Out. 

Classicist Hardeep Dhindsa and art historian Kirsty Sinclair Dootson explore a range of European paintings from the Italian Renaissance to French Post-Impressionism that helped construct and perpetuate the idea of Whiteness.

The two explore how artists used the colour white to articulate ideas about White European culture, society and status, considering how the visual qualities of artworks intersect with political ideas about race.

Discover how the use of the colour white also shaped understandings of gender, sexuality, and class in painting, as well as determining the kinds of subjects that artists represent.

Hardeep Dhindsa is a PhD researcher at King’s College London and is currently the Leverhulme Study Abroad fellow at the British School at Rome, working on his doctoral thesis which reframes the Grand Tour as a node of British colonial travel. Hardeep is a postgraduate representative of the British Society for Eighteenth Century Studies and recently collaborated with Bishopsgate Institute to create a walking tour of vanishing imperial architecture in City of London. 

Kirsty Sinclair Dootson is a Lecturer in Film and Media at University College London, specialising in the political history of colour. She recently published her first book, ‘The Rainbow’s Gravity: Colour, Materiality and British Modernity’, which explores colour across painting, printing, photography, film, and television.

Art Laughs brings comedy to arts and heritage spaces. This evening sees Art Laughs invite three of the UK’s funniest rising stars to deliver art themed stand-up performances in front of paintings that have inspired their sets. 

Join Chelsea Birkby, Ken Cheng and Bella Hull for their unique takes on the National Gallery Collection.

Verity Babbs is a writer, presenter and comedian whose work focuses on making the art world more accessible and introducing fine art to new audiences. She is also an alumna of Articulation, the National Gallery’s public speaking initiative for young people designed to promote the appreciation and discussion of visual culture. Verity conceived Art Laughs as an antidote to the humourless atmosphere she encountered working in the art world since graduating with a History of Art degree from the University of Oxford, and the show made its Edinburgh Fringe debut in 2022. 

Writer and cultural historian Gavin Plumley journeys into our new painting ‘The Kien Valley with the Bluemlisalp Massif’

Painting in an age of pioneering mountaineers and geologists, including those who saw the first signs of climate change, the 19-20th century Swiss artist, Ferdinand Hodler, sought to reconcile himself to the epic landscapes of the Alps.

Cultural historian and author of ‘A Home for All Seasons’ Gavin Plumley goes hiking with Hodler to discover and discuss several sweeping views across the Gallery.

Gavin Plumley is a cultural historian with projects spanning various periods and disciplines. He lectures widely and has recently given talks for the Royal Philharmonic Society, the National Trust, the Cheltenham Literature Festival, the National Theatre, the National Gallery, the Royal Academy of Arts, the British Museum, Tate, and the BBC Proms. 

Gavin’s first book, ‘A Home for All Seasons’, a wide-ranging meditation on place and past, taking in climate change, rural depopulation, the Reformation and folklore, was published by Atlantic Books in 2022.

Create art in the Gallery as artist Marc Woodhead leads a portrait drawing class, focusing on the theme of colour, expression, and exchange. There is a short introduction at 6pm but feel free to drop in whenever you like. You can stay for 10 minutes or 2 hours.

The class is suitable for everyone from complete beginners to accomplished artists. All materials are provided, so no need to bring anything with you unless you want to work in your own sketchbook or on an iPad.

The Old Royal Naval College will host a talk by Simon Thurley CBE (historian and Chair of the National Lottery Heritage Fund). 

The talk will focus on Wren the courtier, exploring Wren’s position within the court of William and Mary, and his work for them including designing Greenwich Hospital (now the Old Royal Naval College). Wren’s success was underpinned by his skill as a courtier, retaining the confidence of four monarchs despite socioeconomic turmoil. His life at court can be reconstructed and demonstrates his devotion to the architectural whims of the Stuart dynasty.  

By using Wren’s history as a courtier, leading architectural historian Simon Thurley, will deliver a thorough lecture with new research, painting Wren’s career in a new light. 

This talk is part of the Wren London Lectures, a series of talks taking place in four of Wren’s greatest buildings between July to October 2023. 

Join in a storytelling journey that takes families to the four corners of the world. This interactive and multi-sensory storytelling session draws on the figures and symbols found in Sir James Thornhill’s magnificent Painted Hall. Using puppetry, fragrance and song, learn about all the colourful plants and animals the sailor discovers on his last journey around the world.    

Recommended for families with children aged 5 – 10 years but children of all ages are welcome. Children are free but must be accompanied by an adult with a valid ticket to the Painted Hall or annual pass.

Come along to help launch Bi+ Lines, the first ever anthology of bi+ poetry on Bi+ Visibility Day!

Contributors to the anthology will perform their work live at Queer Britain, themed around in-betweenness, and then we’ll open up the floor to bi+ audience members for an open mic. Hosted by poet and editor Helen Bowell.

Following eight workshops for bi+ poets in Spring 2023, LGBTQ+ publisher fourteen poems is publishing Bi+ Lines, the first anthology of contemporary bi+ poets, this autumn.

This event at Queer Britain is the first of a series of launch events for the book, where we’ll hear from three of the contributors, whose work was selected from over 2,800 submissions. Bi+, queer, polysexual open mic-ers are invited to perform one poem of up to three minutes in length. Poems exploring the idea of in-betweenness (on any subject matter) is encouraged, but not required. Spaces are limited so book early to secure your spot!

This is a mixed event, everyone is welcome!

Bi+ Lines is an Arts Council England funded project for bi+ poets, including bisexual, pansexual and queer writers, or anyone who experiences attraction to more than one gender. Historically excluded from both straight and queer spaces, we know that bi+ people are less likely to join queer communities or be out of the closet. Bi+ Lines seeks to increase the representation of bi+ writers, strengthen its community and allow bi+ people to creatively reclaim the in-betweenness that has been used to shut them out. Follow the project on Twitter/Instagram at @bi_poets.

This project is supported by Arts Council England, fourteen poems, Gay’s The Word, Commonword, Manchester Poetry Library, Out on the Page, Spread the Word and The Writing Squad.

Colour can transform spaces and uplift environments in many different ways. The integration of colour can vary in chromatic flair and scale. It not only has aesthetic gains but also social benefits. The impact of using colour can be vast, both on a physiological and psychological level. It can transform spaces and influence how people inhabit these environments.

Join us as we explore examples of architecture that are bold in colour and character. We will explore the theory and practice of architects and designers who use colour in different ways to inspire and empower.

Join this curator-led tour to explore contemporary art in the Science Museum’s Medicine galleries which opened in autumn 2019. Art has long been part of the Science Museum’s collection, introducing new perspectives and ways of looking at and understanding science. More recently art commissions have played a key role in new galleries at the museum.


Contemporary art commissions by Eleanor Crook, Jenny Holzer, Studio Roso, Marc Quinn, as well as a recently acquired work by Grayson Perry, were at the heart of the plans for the new Medicine galleries at the Science Museum. The curators will discuss how these works came about and how art and imagination can broaden our understanding of medicine.

Carnation, Lily, Lily, Rose (1885-6) was the most ambitious of the paintings in an Impressionist vein that Sargent painted after moving from Paris to England. This talk will discuss how Sargent painted the ‘fearful difficult subject’ of two girls lighting lanterns at twilight, which has become one of his best-loved works.

From steering the viewer’s gaze, to providing clues of hidden meanings, there is more than meets the eye when it comes to the use of colour in art.

Discover more about these symbolisms with this one-hour free lecture from V&A Academy.

Led by lecturer Clare Ford, explore highlights of the V&A’s collection ranging from Frescos, the Raphael Cartoons, to impressive altarpieces and delve into the world of colour across different forms of art. 

Once you have booked your free place, you will receive a link to join the live lecture 24 hours before the event, as well as a link to the recording afterwards, so that you can enjoy watching the lecture on demand.

JMW Turner’s use of vibrant, liberated colours – particularly the yellows he used in his oil paintings and watercolours – was much discussed by his contemporaries. Throughout his life, Turner was intellectually curious and so it is unsurprising that he was drawn to colour theory, particularly those ideas developed by the German writer, Wolfgang Goethe.

Today his innovative use of colours continues to fascinate and Dr Matthew Morgan’s talk will discuss how colour theory impacted on Turner’s experimentation. Examining his methods and techniques, this presentation will reveal how and why Turner’s radical use of colour has exerted an important influence on the development of art.