Tuesday 31 December 2013


Somerset house
Learning & Events at Somerset House, image: Falconry Display, 25 Jan © Somerset House
January 2014
Make a resolution to do more in the New Year – we have plenty lined up in January. For the stylish, there’s an illustration workshop and a talk on the history of lipstick – or for the art-lovers, explore the faith and work of Stanley Spencer. Don’t miss out on our programme of films and documentaries either. And did we mention the falconry display?
For adults
"If You Don't Wear Lipstick, I Can't Talk to You"
Thursday 23 January
19.00-20.30
Screening Room, South Wing
Tickets £15/£12
“If You Don’t Wear Lipstick, I Can’t Talk To You”: © Isabella Blow, 1997 Mario Testino
For fashion icon Isabella Blow, lipstick was always more than just a pretty colour – it was essential to her look and persona. Jane Richardson, International Lead Stylist at NARS Cosmetics, will deliver a talk on the long, rich, and complex history of lipstick.
Encountering Heaven on Earth: The Faith and Art of Stanley Spencer. Image © Sam Roberts Photography
Encountering Heaven on Earth: The Faith and Art of Stanley Spencer
Wednesday 22 January
18.30-20.00
Screening Room, South Wing
Tickets £10
The National Gallery's Dr Susanna Avery-Quash leads this lecture on how Stanley Spencer’s thinking reached full expression in his monumental and strikingly optimistic murals at the Sandham Memorial Chapel that are currently on display at Somerset House.
Always Accentuate the Head and Feet: An Illustration Workshop
Saturday 18 January
12.00-16.00
Courtyard Rooms, South Wing
Tickets £25
Develop your fashion drawing skills in this workshop with illustrator Frida Wannerberger, who will be on hand to show you how to create stylish images with an emphasis on millinery and footwear. For ages 18+.
Always Accentuate the Head and Feet: An Illustration Workshop. Image: © Frida Wannerberger
Falconry Display © The Hawking Centre
Falconry Display
Saturday 25 January
12.00-15.00
The Edmond J. Safra Fountain Court
Free
Isabella Blow was a great admirer of falconry – in fact, she and Alexander McQueen flew birds together. In honour of the star of our blockbuster exhibition, the Hawking Centre is bringing a falconry display to the Courtyard at Somerset House.
Stanley Spencer: Heaven in a Hell of War Spotlight Tours
Thursdays (except 2 Jan)
13.15-13.45
Terrace Rooms, South Wing
Free
Stanley Spencer Spotlight Tours. Image: Bedmaking, Stanley Spencer at Sandham Memorial Chapel © NT John Hammond
Don't miss our weekly spotlight tour. Learn more about the story behind the artist’s Sandham Memorial Chapel paintings, considered by many to be the highpoint of his career. Book at Seamen's Hall Information Desk from 12.45.
On film
Exhibitions on Film: White Mischief
Exhibitions on Film:
White Mischief
Thursday 9 January
19.00-20.50
Screening Room, South Wing
Tickets £10/£8
Sex and scandal abound in this true-life tale of the ‘White Mischief’ furore that rocked 1940s society. A coterie of British aristocrats in colonial Kenya pass their time with hedonistic pursuits – but then a murder takes place in their midst…
Unorthodocs: Dirty Wars
Monday 13 January
18.30-20.15
Screening Room, South Wing
Tickets £12
Don’t miss this revelatory documentary, delving into the shadowy operations of the US Joint Special Operations Command in the Middle East. The film is followed by Q&A with Jess Search, the film’s UK executive producer.
Unorthodocs: Dirty Wars © Britdoc Films
Unorthodocs: This Band is So Gorgeous
Monday 27 January
18.30-20.15
Screening Room, South Wing
Tickets £12
Unorthodocs: This Band Is So Gorgeous © Dandy Films
Out of the blue, middle-aged punk band Sham 69 are invited on a tour of China. What could possibly go wrong? Our final Unorthodocs screenings is followed by a Q&A session with director Dunstan Bruce.
 Exhibitions on Film: The Life Aquatic with Steve Zizzou
Exhibitions on Film: The Life Aquatic with Steve Zizzou
Thursday 30 January
19.00-21.00
Screening Room, South Wing
Tickets £10/£8
High seas adventures, shark-hunting, Portuguese renditions of David Bowie hits – and a cameo from Isabella Blow. What more could you ask for in this modern cult classic by Wes Anderson?
For families
Free Family Workshop: Balancing Act
Saturday 4 January
12.00-15.00
Meet at the Seamen's Hall Info Desk, South WingFree
We kick-start our monthly family drop-in workshops in 2014 by making wobbly kinetic sculptures dedicated to the precariousness of ice skating. Best for families with kids aged 6-12.
Free family workshop: Balancing Act © Somerset House