Saturday, January 29th 2022
The recording of this session is available for $10.
Ben Street is an art historian, lecturer, and educator based in London. He is the author of numerous books on art for general audiences, including "How to Enjoy Art: A Guide for Everyone" (Yale University Press, 2021) and a children's book, "How to be an Art Rebel" (Thames and Hudson, 2021). Ben has taught and lectured at many museums, including the National Gallery, the Tate, and the Royal Academy in London; and The Museum of Modern Art and the Guggenheim Museum in New York. He received his M.A. in English Literature and Art History from the University of Edinburgh and is currently completing his PhD in art history at the University of East Anglia; the subject of his dissertation is American painter Philip Guston.
In this interview, we will explore some of the themes of Ben's books and articles, with special reference to works of Italian Renaissance art found in situ, particularly in Florence. Through close observation of artworks such as Michelangelo's David in the Piazza della Signoria or Fra Angelico’s frescos in the Convent of San Marco, Ben will explore and discuss his theories on the impact of our physical encounter with an art object in situ – its scale and texture, the sensory experience of the space itself. Rather than analyzing artists' biographies or discussing periods of art history, our speaker will instead talk about new ways of experiencing great works of art and how that understanding can enhance our appreciation and understanding.
