The Arts Society Gibraltar

Join the Arts Society Gibraltar for the final illustrated talk of the season, The Art of Partying – A Feast for the Eyes, presented by Alice Foster. Discover how artists through the centuries have captured the joy, elegance, extravagance, and occasional chaos of celebrations in art. From lavish banquets to lively gatherings, this engaging talk promises a colourful journey through some of history’s most fascinating social scenes. Don’t miss this wonderful opportunity to end the season on a high note. Come along, bring a friend, and enjoy an inspiring and entertaining evening with fellow art lovers!

Join us for a delightful evening at our Gin in the Garden event.

The Arts Society Gibraltar warmly invites both members and non-members to come together, unwind, and enjoy a relaxed social gathering in a beautiful setting. Sip on refreshing gin, soak up the atmosphere, and connect with fellow art lovers and friends.

Whether you’re already part of our community or simply curious to find out more, this is the perfect opportunity to mingle, laugh, and enjoy a lovely evening outdoors.

Don’t miss out bring a friend and join us in the garden!

Who doesn’t enjoy a garden party? Come and meet like minded people and enjoy the celebrations.

Lecture to be held on
Wednesday, 22nd April 2026, at 7.30pm
at
The Garrison Library, Gibraltar


I'll Take That One
By
Martin Parsons

Although Martin Parsons is now technically retired he previously lectured on both the post-graduate and undergraduate courses in the History Department at the University of Reading, and the University of Lodz in Poland. In both establishments he supervised PhD and MPhil students. Formerly the Director of the Research Centre for Evacuee and War Child Studies which he established in 1997, he is now a Research Fellow and Honorary Life Fellow at the University of Reading. His first book on Evacuation entitled ‘I’ll Take That One’, (Becket Karlson 1998) was the definitive history of UK evacuation and the first book of its kind to investigate the myths surrounding the schemes is the subject of our lecture.

Lecture – I'll Take That One
Over time Martin has carried out research into Operation Pied Piper, the establishment and effect of Evacuee Camp Schools, UK War Babies 1938-45 and, in collaboration with the University of Helsinki, the long-term effects of war- child separation, research which is presently being applied to the effects that the deployment to war zones of close family members has on many service children and on migrant children entering Europe. In addition, he was given access to the closed wartime files in the Northern Ireland Record office and investigated the Evacuation of Belfast and Londonderry 1939-45.

As above The Garrison Library doors will be open from 6.30pm for registration for all. Wine, lager and soft drinks will be available and you can socialise with other members and guests before the talk.

Our thanks go to Church & Co who have very kindly sponsored this event.

Non-Members who wish to enjoy the lecture can pay £15 at the Garrison Library Door on entry or can pay £15 to the below account and advise us accordingly.

Bank details: Gibraltar International Bank
The Arts Society Gibraltar 14190001
Sort Code 60-83-14/SWIFT GIBK GIGI

The Arts Society Gibraltar is delighted to present our next illustrated talk, “James McNeill Whistler and the Art of Making Enemies,” exploring the life, wit, and controversies of the brilliant and provocative artist James McNeill Whistler. From his groundbreaking approach to portraiture and nocturnes to his famously fiery disputes with critics and contemporaries, Whistler’s story is as compelling as his art. The talk will be led by the engaging and knowledgeable Jennifer Toynbee-Holmes, who will bring his extraordinary character and career vividly to life. Kindly sponsored by Church & Co, this promises to be a fascinating and entertaining evening for members and guests alike.

Tomorrow at the Arts Society Gibraltar, we are delighted to present an illustrated talk about Balenciaga, Dior and Fath with Scott Sciavone. An inspiring journey into the golden age of couture, exploring the brilliance and lasting influence of these maestros whose creativity and revolutionary designs shaped the course of modern fashion. An evening of elegance, insight and style that truly is not to be missed.

Clare Phillips (MA Royal College of Art) has been a curator at the Victoria and Albert Museum since 1989. As a jewellery historian, she is a key part of the small team dedicated to the V&A’s jewellery collection. She has written extensively on jewellery: from Jewels & Jewellery, the definitive account of the V&A’s collection, and Jewelry - from Antiquity to the Present, Thames & Hudson’s accessible introductory text, to definitive works on the jewellery of Tiffany for Yale University Press and on Chaumet's tiaras for Thames & Hudson. In 2006 she curated the exhibition Bejewelled by Tiffany at Somerset House. In addition to her work with the V&A's permanent collection, she has been responsible for jewellery content within major V&A exhibitions, including - amongst many others - Art Nouveau: 1890-1914 and Frida Kahlo: Making Her Self Up. ��Lecture – Jewellery in Portraits. The Glittering Canvas 1750 to 1850�Jewellery has always been one of the most personal of art forms, and portraits through the ages have shown the importance of jewels to the people who choose to be painted wearing them. Jewellery's intimate nature prompts a multiplicity of references, meanings and messages, while its styles reveal in miniature the broader trends across the decorative arts. In this lecture V&A curator Clare Phillips guides the audience through a century of jewellery design revealed in portraits - from the stately formality of eighteenth-century diamonds, through the neo-classical elegance of post-revolutionary Paris, to the softened naturalism and emerging historicism of the mid-nineteenth century. From diamonds to cut steel, jewellery is our principal focus, with portraits helping to tell the wonderful stories of the pieces and of their owners.��As above The Garrison Library doors will be open from 6.30pm for registration for all. Wine, lager and soft drinks will be available and you can socialise with other members and guests before the talk. ���Non-Members who wish to enjoy the lecture can pay £15 at the Garrison Library Door on entry or can pay £15 to the below account and advise us accordingly.
Bank details: Gibraltar International Bank
The Arts Society Gibraltar 14190001
Sort Code 60-83-14/SWIFT GIBK GIGI

The Curious History of Christmas Food
By
Peter Ross



Peter Ross has a BA in the History of Art, an MA in London History, and a PhD in the cultural history of the early eighteenth-century criminal, Jack Sheppard. Until 2023, he was the Principal Librarian at the City of London’s Guildhall Library. He is also a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries. Peter has appeared on television and radio as a consultant on crime in eighteenth-century London, the history of English food, and Shakespeare’s First Folio. Peter’s The Curious Cookbook, Viper Soup, Badger Ham, Stewed Sparrows, and a Hundred more Historic Recipes was published in 2012 by the British Library and subsequently published in the US, China and Taiwan. Peter is currently engaged in writing a book - Insatiable Appetites: Eating Out in Georgian London to be published by Bodleian Library in 2026.

Lecture – The Curious History of Christmas Food
The foods we eat at Christmas have a long, curious and visually spectacular history. This lecture narrates and illustrates that history from Medieval boar’s head and brawn, by way of highly decorated seventeenth century mince pies to the almost forgotten Twelfth Night Cake. Medieval illuminated manuscripts, paintings and prints from the seventeenth to the nineteenth centuries, and illustrations from cookery books provide us with images of some of the lost glories of the British Christmas feast.

Our thanks go to Sovereign who have very kindly sponsored this event.

What an evening!

A well-attended illustrated talk titled Women Masters of Art drew an impressive audience of 73 people, all eager to explore the vibrant history of women artists across the centuries. Sponsored by Ibex Insurance, the evening offered a rich journey from the Renaissance to contemporary art, revealing the creativity and resilience of women who shaped artistic movements around the world.

The talk opened with the Impressionists, highlighting Mary Cassatt, the American painter and Berthe Morisot, a founding figure of Impressionism whose delicate yet innovative brushwork helped define the movement. Earlier trailblazers followed, including Sofonisba Anguissola and Artemisia Gentileschi, whose powerful Baroque works stand as testament to her technical mastery. Spanish sculptor Luisa Roldán, known as La Roldana, was also featured.

The 19th century section explored extraordinary artists who defied convention. Élisabeth Vigée Le Brun, favoured by Marie Antoinette, shocked society with her boldly smiling self-portrait. Rosa Bonheur, renowned for her dynamic animal paintings, obtained special permission to wear men’s clothing, lived independently with a female partner, and achieved remarkable financial success. The sculptor Camille Claudel, both collaborator and rival to Rodin, was recognised for the emotional force and originality of her work.

Modernism introduced innovators such as Natalia Goncharova, whose provocative art bridged Cubism and Futurism, and Sonia Delaunay, co-founder of Orphism. Surrealism was represented by Leonora Carrington, Remedios Varo, and Frida Kahlo, each offering deeply imaginative and personal visions. Contemporary voices included Lygia Clark, Eva Hesse, The Guerrilla Girls, Paula Rego, Yayoi Kusama, Shirin Neshat, and Marina