The Arts Society Woking's Talk Programme 2015
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| All Speakers are carefully chosen
based on their reputation for attractive
and well-presented talks with good
pictures. Talks take place on the
second Wednesday of each month except
July and August. |
Talks commence promptly at
10.30am at
Talks commence promptly at
10.30am at
The Lord Roberts Centre,
Bisley Camp,
Brookwood,
Woking
GU24 0NP
This
website includes an
Interactive map. |
| Coffee and biscuits are served from
9.45am. |
| Members may bring a visitor, but
the same person may not be a guest more
than twice a year. While we do not
charge a Visitors fee, Visitors may want
to make a donation to the Society of
(say) £5. |
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The 2016 Talk
Programme is now available, please click here |
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For the 2014 Talk
Programme, please click here |
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January
14th 2015 |
The Punch and Judy Show
(A subversive symbol from
Commedia Dell’Arte
to the present day)
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Speaker: Bertie Pearce. BA
(Hons)
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This is Bertie’s first visit to
Woking but his fame and
membership of the Inner Magic
Circle fills us with
anticipation!
Mr Punch is the most famous
puppet character of all time.
His comic irreverence gave
“Punch” magazine its title.
His anarchic vitality has
inspired opera, ballet and punk
rock and his enduring popularity
has seen his likeness on goods
ranging from Victorian
silverware to computer video
games. Appearing in England in
1662, Punch is descended from
the Italian Clown Pulcinella of
the 15th Century Commedia
Dell’Arte tradition .
Punch &
Judy
Photo source: Wikipedia |
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February
11th
2015 |
William Hogarth 1697 – 1764
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Speaker: Mrs Linda Smith BA
(Hons) MA |
Linda has visited us on two
previous occasions including her
outstanding talk on the
Pre-Raphaelites given with only
one day’s notice.
This talk tracks Hogarth’s
career from humble copper-plate
engraver to successful painter,
showing a wide variety of images
which demonstrate his
exceptional originality and
inventiveness. Above all, it is
his unparalleled eye for
absurdity and human weakness
which not only tells us so much
about his own times, but gives
us food for thought about our
own.
William
Hogarth, Painter and his Pug,
1745
Photo Source Wikipedia |
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March 11th 2015 |
David Hockney – The Old
Master of Modern Art
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Speaker: Douglas Skeggs MA
(Cantab) |
Douglas has talked to us six
times and has been voted
outstanding on every occasion.
This talk explores how from
the early sixties, when David
Hockney left the Royal College
of
Art he was more famous than
his teachers. Hockney's
paintings have shown a charm and
humour that sets them apart from
others of his generation.
A naturally gifted draftsman,
this talk follows the career
of an artist whose wit and use
of ingenious visual devices has
led him to experiment with a
whole range of techniques, from
stage design to coloured paper
making.
From his early career he has
never faltered. |
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April 8th
2015 |
Diaghilev and the Ballet
Russes
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Speaker: Dr Rosamund
Bartlett BA (Hons) DPhil |
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We meet Dr Bartlett for the
first time. She holds a
doctorate from Oxford
University. She specialises in
the comparative study of art,
music and literature and is the
author of several books
including biographies of Tolstoy
and Chekov.
A hundred years ago, Diaghilev
decided it was time to showcase
Russian culture to the world. He
feared it was about to be swept
away (as indeed happened with
the 1917 Revolution), and
fervently believed it had
something unique to offer.
Russian
ballet was at its prime,
with Nijinsky and Pavlova
amongst its greatest stars.
The Ballets Russes contributed
prominently to the “Russian
Renaissance” at the beginning of
the 20th century, and this
talk is a celebration of the
magic, creative energy and
passion which lay at their
heart.
Costume
design by Léon Bakst for
principal female dancer
in The Firebird, 1910
Photo Source: Wikipedia |
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May 13th 2015 |
Downton Abbey revealed – the
story of Highclere Castle
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Matthew Williams BA (Hons)
Dip. AGMS AMA |
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This will be Matthew’s third
visit to us. He has had
excellent reviews and has a
great rapport with the audience.
The enormous success of the
Television series “Downton
Abbey” has made its location,
Highclere Castle in Berkshire,
one of the most recognisable
buildings in the country. This
talk reveals that truth is
more interesting than fiction
and tells the story of the
castle and its family, the Earls
of Carnarvon.
A Victorian architectural
masterpiece, Highclere has
fascinating associations with
the Houses of Parliament,
ancient Egypt and the world of
Royal horse racing. The’ Downton
Abbey effect’ has not only
brought the past alive for
millions of admirers but has
brought benefits to Highclere.
Photo
source: Speaker |
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June 10th
2015 |
The Art and Craft of the
Edwardian Garden
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Speaker: Dr Twigs Way MA
PhD |
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Dr Way is new to Woking. She is
a garden historian, author
researcher and speaker. She
carries out freelance research
in the history of specific
gardens for English Heritage and
the National Trust.
This talk celebrates the
Edwardian garden in words and
pictures and examines the coming
together of the worlds of
artist, architect and gardener,
to create the quintessential
English Garden From Robinson and
Jekyll to Lutyens and Peto via
Parsons and Elgood: painters
creating gardens, architects
dictating planting, and gardens
portrayed in paintings: An era
summed up by its gardens. |
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July 2015 |
No Talk (Summer
break)
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August 2015 |
No Talk (Summer
break)
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September
9th
2015 |
The Art of Waterloo
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Speaker: Peter Warwick |
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Peter has talkd extensively
and is coming to Woking for the
first time to celebrate the
bicentenary of the battle of
Waterloo. He is an author,
historian and authority on
Nelson.
This special talk offers an
artistic and cultural
appreciation of the battle that
was a defining moment in
European history. It shows how
artists have interpreted
Waterloo and so influenced our
understanding of what actually
happened on 18th June 1815. The
paintings, drawings and
caricatures are the language of
the age and are often so
powerful they alone have
influenced our perceptions of
the battle and its subsequent
interpretation. We see today
what the artist wanted us to
see. How true to history are
their impressions?
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October
14th
2015 |
Five Centuries of Blue and
White Porcelain
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Speaker: Anton Gabszewicz |
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Anton is a former Director and
Head of European Ceramics at
Christie’s and Antiques Roadshow
Broadcaster. His last visit to
us was in 2006 and was
excellent.
This talk explores the
complicated development of ‘blue
and white’ porcelain. From 14th
century China via the
short-lived experiments in the
late 16th century under the
Medici in Florence and the
discovery of hard paste
porcelain at Meissen in the
early 18th century, decoration
in underglaze blue cobalt has
been a major part of the output
of most factories across Europe
to the present day. He will
discuss the development of this
technique chronologically in
both Continental Europe and
England thereby emphasising the
regional differences and nuances
of style adopted at various
factories when it ultimately
became used to decorate their
more ordinary wares to attract a
broader market.
Photo
source: Speaker |
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November
11th 2015 |
Lawrence of Arabia; tortured
hero of troubled times
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Speaker: Dr Neil Faulkner
PhD |
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Dr Faulkner last visited Bisley
in 2005 when his talk was
outstanding.
He works as a speaker, writer,
archaeologist and broadcaster
and is co- director of The Great
Arab Revolt Project.
He informed me there will be a
BBC programme about Lawrence in
2015/16 discussing the new facts
which have emerged as a result
of his team’s archaeological
research.
Lawrence of Arabia was one of
the greatest celebrities of the
20th century. He was also one of
its most controversial figures –
for some, a real-life hero and
brilliant guerrilla commander,
for others, a self-promoting
charlatan. Where does the truth
lie?
Portrait by
Augustus John, 1919 |
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December
9th 2015 |
Unwrapping the Christmas
Story:
Painting, Prose and Poetry
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Speaker: Mrs Pamela Halford
BA(Hons)MA |
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This is Pamela’s first visit to
Woking. She is President of The
Arts Society Bristol.
This talk is specially
packaged for the festive season,
she will unwrap some of the many
layers of history, custom and
myth that make up Christmas: the
nativity, decking the halls,
cards, food, presents and much
more. The talk is beautifully
illustrated by well known
paintings and lesser known
extraordinary works. Poetry and
prose abound – including words
written by the speaker to bring
joy, pathos and humour.
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Current Year's Talks |
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To see 2016 activities,
click here |
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Prior Year's Talks |
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To see the activities in
previous years, click on the
year;
2024
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2023
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2022
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2021
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2020
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2019 /
2018 /
2017 /
2016 /
2015 /
2014 /
2013 /
2012 /
2011 /
2010 |
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Disclaimer |
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The Arts Society Woking cannot be held responsible for any personal accident, loss, damage or theft of members' personal property. Members are covered against proven liability of third parties. |
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