Professor Sir Christopher Frayling, TV presenter, educationalist and writer is giving a free lecture in Brighton as part of the University of Brighton's Festival of Research.
This is an opportunity to hear a lecture from the guru of art and design education, former Rector of the Royal College and globally famous not only for his writing on Spaghetti Westerns but also his chosen motto for his knighthood, a translation of ‘Go ahead, punk, make my day’ – or PERGE SCELUS MIHI DIEM PERFICIAS or “Proceed varlet and let the day be rendered perfect for my benefit".
Chris Frayling last spoke to the Faculty of Arts on the occasion of its 150th anniversary, joining a conference on the past and future of education in art and design. Entertaining the audience with anecdotes including the art college education of Queen Victoria’s daughters to quotes from Nicholas Pevsner and Billy Wilder, he built upon the hypothetical idea of a new Bauhaus, and reconsidered the importance of art and design as a means towards social change and the evolution of knowledge.
His return to Brighton, as part of the will bring him back to the theme: Arts education has the power to bring about great changes. In particular the arts can challenge what Maynard Keynes considered the ‘poverty of aspiration.’ Chris looks again at this, Keynes’ ‘Sixth Giant’, which, along with Want, Disease, Ignorance, Squalor, and Idleness threaten to condemn society to physical poverty. What response does arts education offer and what is its relevance today?
Professor Sir Christopher Frayling’s work in written and broadcast form includes:
The Face of Tutankhamun (1992),
Clint Eastwood (1992),
Sergio Leone: Something To Do With Death (2000) and
Mad, Bad and Dangerous?: The Scientist and the Cinema (2005)
Sir Christopher's lecture is at the
Sallis Benney Theatre in Grand Parade, Brighton, at 6.30pm on 22 May. For free tickets, visit the
Fringe box office.
