Artists, Poets, and Writers Lecture Series

Conrad Shawcross: “Exploding Paradigms and Parallax Disruptions”

video still of Conrad Shawcross lecturing

Artists, Poets, and Writers Lecture Series: "Exploding Paradigms and Parallax Disruptions" by Conrad Shawcross

Known for his monumental — sometimes mechanical — sculptures, Shawcross was elected to the Royal Academy of Arts in 2013. Here he outlines the breadth of his practice intersecting science and philosophy, focusing specifically on recent works from his two series Paradigms and Optics.

This lecture is made possible by the Drue Heinz Trust.

Christopher Le Brun: “Now Turn the Page: The Role of Poetry in Painting”

Christopher Le Brun, renowned painter and President of the Royal Academy of Arts, London, presents his lecture for the series 'Artist, Poets, and Writers.' Led by eminent artists and architects, the Royal Academy of Arts will celebrate its 250th anniversary next year.

This lecture is made possible by the Drue Heinz Trust.

Hilary Mantel: "The Road to Wolf Hall"

Link to video of Hilary Mantel lecture

Dame Hilary Mantel, two-time winner of the Man Booker Prize for her best-selling novel Wolf Hall and its sequel, Bring Up the Bodies, is currently at work on the third installment of the Thomas Cromwell Trilogy, The Mirror & the Light. In the home of Hans Holbein’s iconic portraits of rivals Thomas Cromwell and Thomas More, she will discuss the concept, research, and writing of the novels, their adaptation for stage and screen, and the historical figures they so vividly bring to life.

This lecture is made possible by the Drue Heinz Trust.

Mark Strand: "What We See and What We Know"

Link to video of Mark Strand lecture

Mark Strand, recipient of the Gold Medal for Poetry from the American Academy of Arts and Letters in 2009, discussed works in the permanent collection from a poet’s point of view, focusing on women depicted by Vermeer, Chardin, Gainsborough, Renoir, and Whistler. The Artists, Poets, and Writers Lecture Series is made possible through the generous support of the Drue Heinz Trust.