2nd May 2012 6:00pm-8:00pm
Sallis Benney Theatre
Sandy Moffat and Neal Ascherson in conversation
Wednesday 2nd May, 6pm
Sallis Benney Theatre, Grand Parade
In recent months Scottish devolution and independence have once again come to prominence in the political village of Westminster. However far from it being a mere localised squabble over constitutional arrangements and governance, it proposes a possible shift in cultural identities of profound importance to the English as well as Scots. There is a long political backdrop to this from the Act of Union of 1707 to the present day.
The artist and writer, Sandy Moffat, and the journalist, political commentator and author, Neal Ascherson, will reflect on these issues in the context of recent contemporary politics and visual culture in a round table conversation that will include questions and participation from the audience.
This event will be of broad interest to students, staff and researchers in the Faculty, across the arts, media and the Humanities as well as to the University generally and interested members of the general public (Scots or English).
Sandy Moffat was until recently Chair of the Exhibitions Committee of the RSAand an ex Professor of Painting at Glasgow School of Art where he worked from 1979 up to his retirement. He is a figurative painter of renown, particularly of portraits with many exhibitions to his credit, an example being the sequence of paintings ‘Seven Poets.’ His work has always been focussed on the broad ‘thematics’ of European history and is often concerned with the connections between literature and painting, particularly in Scotland. His most recent book, co-authored with Alan Riach, Chair of Scottish literature at Glasgow University, Arts of Resistance: Poets, Painters and Landscapes of modern Scotland was published in 2009.
Neal Ascherson a well known journalist, political commentator and columnist has worked for The Guardian, The Scotman, The Observer and The Independent on Sunday. He is a prolific writer and author of readable books on history, politics and the arts. Eric Hobsbawm, Britain’s most eminent Marxist historian, described him as the best student he ever taught. Neal Ascherson’s books include Games with Shadows (1988), The Struggles for Poland (1987), Black sea (1995) and Stone Voices (2002). Like Sandy moffat he has a particular interest in questions of Scottish politics and in the histories of east/Central Europe.
The event is free but it might be advisable to indicate and reserve space/attendance to Madeleine Dutton at m.j.dutton@brighton.ac.uk.
Peter Seddon (Director of APPRI)
