Masterpiece Symposium | Museums, Research and Discovery: Modes of Discovery

This discussion focuses on how the sharing of objects, images and data between institutions, and between them and the public, can lead to types of discovery that might not otherwise be possible. The conversation explores the collaboration between collections; institutional transparency about provenance and other types of information; the possibilities for public participation in research; and how new technologies such as machine learning and computer vision might generate new ways of understandi

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Masterpiece Symposium | Museums, Research and Discovery: Knowing Collections

This discussion explores how research within museums allows for the reconsideration of individual works or types of work, be that their facture, authorship, meaning, provenance or wider cultural significance. The conversation covers the relationship between research and: display; conservation; exhibition-making; digitisation; and acquisitions. To what extent are collections rediscovered, in some sense, by successive generations of curators and conservators? Panellists: Paola D’Agostino | Direc

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Pierres de Caractère: an exploration of Earth's Treasures

“Every stone has a soul of its own,” Claude Arpels used to say.   For over a century, exceptional stones – or ‘Pierres de Caractère’ - have been at the centrepiece of Van Cleef & Arpels’ creativity. From diamonds to coloured gems, the Maison seeks excellence but also character, that spiritual quality which awakens the senses and instils a unique emotion.  Dive into the earth and meet its treasures, discovering the origin and evolution of the ‘big four’ precious stones – emerald, ruby, diamond a

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Earth & Alchemy – The Narrative of Ceramic

Watch panel discussion here. Ceramic art has acted as a vessel for storytelling about people, places and cultures since time immemorial. But what exactly is it about clay - the most humble and ancient of mediums - that continues to offer such fertile creative ground? And what stories can we read in the ceramics of today? In this panel, artists, critics and experts come together to discuss the narrative power and possibilities of ceramic art.  Speakers: Lucinda Mudge (artist) Adrian Sassoon (Di

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TRANSLATING THE VISUAL - THE ART PODCAST

Podcasts are an increasing part of the media landscape, but what makes them so popular? How do they overcome the short attention spans that we are told characterise today's audiences? And in the highly visual art world, what makes listening work so well? Four experienced art podcasters, from both sides of the Atlantic, reveal the secrets of their success and look to the future of the industry. Speakers: Tamar Avishai (The Lonely Palette) Jennifer Dasal (ArtCurious) Bendor Grosvenor (Waldy and B

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DIGITAL ART IN THE PHYSICAL REALM

The cancellation of analogue art fairs and exhibitions due to pandemic-related restrictions over the past year has hastened the ascent of digital art, most notably the meteoric rise of crypto-art and NFTs (non-fungible tokens) over the past six months. But now this digitally native art is increasingly entering the physical realm, with bricks-and-mortar spaces specialising in NFTs and galleries working out how to show virtual creations, IRL. In this talk, curators, creators and gallerists will gi

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NEXT GEN COLLECTING: SUSTAINING ART AND CULTURE

What sets the next generation of collectors apart from their forebears? In this panel discussion, young leaders in the arts consider how the practice of collecting is evolving in a swiftly changing world. Whether they are underwriting social development through investment in the creative economy or supporting emerging artists beyond the boundaries of the gallery system, next-gen collectors often focus on sustaining artistic practices and nourishing the cultural ecosystems –– and local communitie

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Masterpiece Symposium| Kaleidoscopic Conversations | Panel Discussion: Vivid Histories

The inclusion of specific colours in paintings and works of art has rarely, if ever, been merely decorative. From the value historically associated with splendid raw materials, such as lapis lazuli or natural dyes for textiles, to the symbolic meanings that different hues have held in different times and places, colour contains and reflects meaning – even if that meaning may fade over time. From magnificent marbles to splendid stained glass, vibrant colours or their combinations have not only aw

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Masterpiece Symposium| Kaleidoscopic Conversations | Panel Discussion: The Chromatic Museum

In our memories, perhaps, museums sometimes exist in black and white – or in sepia tones. But working with colour – working in colour, even – is fundamental to museum installations and displays. And interpreting the historical meaning of colours is vital to how collections are communicated to the public. Richly coloured objects may be eye-catching, certainly, but how do curators and museum professionals translate that into significance for as broad an audience as possible? And how far do decisio

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Inspired by Nature

From the perspectives of an artist, a curator and a foundry specialist, this talk provides insight into how nature has been a source of inspiration for metalwork past and present. The speakers on this panel work with metals in very different ways. Their discussion will focus on metal through the lens of nature: Junko Mori is an artist whose work draws on nature in startlingly original ways; for Tobias Capwell, a curator of historic armour, its form is conditioned by nature; and for Rungwe Kingdo

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The Origins of Pigment

Colour is a key component of a work of art, with specific hues selected for their decorative, symbolical or emotive qualities, but the properties and potential of pigments themselves - those ingredients bound together to form coloured paint or glaze - are sometimes overlooked in our age of standardised materials. Our panel illuminates the materiality of pigment from the point of view of the creator, the conservator and the curator.   Speakers: Corrie Jackson, Senior Curator, Royal Bank of Canad

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The Narrative Beauty of Wood

Contemporary art history often focuses on the narrative of art above that of materials and making, which tend to be positioned into the arena of 'craft'. Over the centuries, however, an artist or maker's choice of material has often borne a direct connection to the meaning and execution of a work and, in overlooking the significance of this choice, the viewer stands to miss part of the interpretation. This panel discussion explores the rich narrative contained within the varied properties of woo

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The Resonance of Stone

Whether they are aware of it or not,  when scholars dismiss the use of precious marbles and stones to decorate a building as merely a desire to show off the status of the patron, they are expressing a moralising Marxist interpretation of art history. Fabio Barry, author of a very exciting but deeply scholarly book, Painting in Stone: Architecture and the Poetics of Marble from Antiquity to the Enlightenment (YUP 2020), debunks this by revealing what it actually meant, from ancient Mesopotamia to

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Materials in the Museum | Masterpiece Symposium 2021

Masterpiece Symposium | Journeys through the Material World Date: Thursday, 4 February 2021 _ Museums often group objects into material categories (metalwork, silver, glass, ceramics) as well as others that reflect how artists have used them (painting, sculpture) or alternatively by period or region. What has been gained by separating out different materials and what gets overlooked? This panel discussion will explore how materials have been understood and displayed in museums, including: his

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The Stories of Materials | Masterpiece Symposium 2021

Masterpiece Symposium | Journeys through the Material World To open our 2021 online programme Masterpiece London is delighted to host a programme of debate and discussion co-organised by the Fair and Thomas Marks, editor of Apollo, exploring the stories and stature of materials that have historically been transformed into works of art. With the aim of encouraging constructive conversation and the exchange of ideas and knowledge, this event is open to everyone, from museum professionals and memb

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Conserving Momentum | Masterpiece Symposium 2020

How have digital and other new technologies furthered the work of conservators, and what opportunities and challenges do such approaches present? This discussion considers the growing relevance of digital reproduction, uses of AR and VR technologies in conservation projects; the relationship between forensic techniques and photography; and the conservation of contemporary art, including in new media. Panellists: Anaïs Aguerre | ReACH Project director and founder of Culture Connect Donal Cooper

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Conserving Knowledge | Masterpiece Symposium 2020

How could conservation be more intrinsic to the public understanding of works of art? This discussion explores the relationship between conservation, curation and academic art history; considers how best to communicate information about historical materials, current conservation practices and historical methods; asks how conservation could become a more diverse and inclusive field, both as a profession and in terms of the objects that conservation departments prioritise; and thinks about what it

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Museums and Mentors, Scholarship and Friendship | Stories from the world of fine ceramics dealing

The French Porcelain Society has always valued the scholarship and insight of dealers who contribute so much to its publications, events and lectures. Martin P. Levy of H. Blairman & Sons, leads a discussion on the influence of dealers past and present with four long–standing European ceramics exhibitors at Masterpiece London: Michele Beiny, Errol Manners, Adrian Sassoon and John Whitehead. Their stories speak of inspirational and sometimes eccentric mentors: museum curators, collectors, auction

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Collecting Pre-Contemporary Art Online | New ways to look, learn and buy

The coronavirus lockdown hit has forced us all to recalibrate how we view, collect and sell art as exhibitions, auctions and even art fairs have been forced online—and fast. It’s a steep learning curve for both buyers and sellers in all fields, but particularly for those in the traditionally analogue world of pre-contemporary art, where issues of provenance, authenticity and trust are all the more complex, and the audience perhaps less digitally savvy. Our panel of experts will discuss the chal

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Public, Private Delights

What does sculpture mean to us today — be it public or private — and has its status changed in contemporary times? - Moderator | Farah Nayeri (Journalist, New York Times) - Polly Bielecka (Gallery Director, Pangolin London) - Simon Martin (Director, Pallant House Gallery) - Zak Ové (Artist)

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Women Artists | Past & Present

Examining the role of women in art from the Renaissance up until the present day. This talk, moderated by Katy Hessel (of @thegreatwomenartists Instagram and podcast), will speak to National Gallery curator, Letizia Treves, on staging shows of the women of the Baroque; gallerist Richard Saltoun who has established a reputation for promoting and exhibiting the work of female artists; Jo Baring, Director of the Ingram Collection, and Sarah Turner, Deputy Director of the Paul Mellon Centre, (both a

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Art and Experience in the Digital Era | Balancing the virtual and the physical in today's public and private collections

How are museums and commercial galleries using technology to engage their audiences during the Covid-19 crisis? And in the aftermath of the pandemic, what strategies will they use to maintain that audience in a cash-strapped consumer culture that increasingly values experience above the appreciation and possession of individual objects? - Moderator | Scott Reyburn (Journalist, New York Times & The Art Newspaper) - Rebecca Lyons (Director of Collections & Learning, Royal Academy of Arts) - Helen

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Engaging Audiences Old & New | How to attract & inspire museum visitors today

As museums face increased questions over their place and purpose in the 21st century, what initiatives have been put in place to expand their audiences? How best to strike a balance between reaching out to new visitors and keeping existing supporters onside? What lessons have been learnt from the lockdown and its forced move to virtual visiting? And what financial structures and support will enable museums to survive and thrive in truly challenging times? Melanie Gerlis, art market writer for th

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Redefining Chinese Contemporary Art

We have come to understand Chinese contemporary art as that which is produced by artists of Chinese ethnicity. However, many of these artists utilise western methods such as oil painting and photography. In this discussion, we focus on whether we should redefine Chinese contemporary art to incorporate the depth of the artists’ involvement with Chinese culture, and their understanding and continuation of Chinese tradition and aesthetics. - Moderator | Yifawn Lee (Publisher & Editor, Orientations

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Broadly, Deeply, Passionately | Living with collections

Decorated rooms say one thing, while collected rooms say quite another. Join Mitchell Owens, the decorative arts editor of Architectural Digest, with scholar Justin McGuirk (Chief Curator, Design Museum) and designers Rose Uniacke (Director / Founder Rose Uniacke) and Boris Vervoordt (Director, Axel Vervoordt) as they discuss the allure of interiors that celebrate personal connoisseurship over commonplace style. - Moderator | Mitchell Owens (Decorative Arts Editor, Architectural Digest) - Rose

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The Multidisciplinary Fair | Where art, design & curation converge

Join Michael Diaz-Griffith in conversation with interior designer Jamie Drake, curator Stephen Harrison, and art advisor Isabella Lauder-Frost, as they discuss the art fair in its most dynamic state. The multidisciplinary fair is more than an emporium of fine and decorative arts; it is a showcase for the latest in design, a platform for cultural institutions, and a hub for the influential and creative. How does the multidisciplinary fair fit into the wider art world? And how does it serve the de

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