Articulating Art History

Last week we held our internal heat of ‘ARTiculation’, the nationally acclaimed public speaking initiative designed to promote the appreciation and discussion of visual culture.

In the school theatre, five Upper Sixth students spoke about a work of art of their choice, with topics ranging widely – from Renaissance master Crivelli to contemporary artist David Hockney. The event was judged by Dr Sussan Babaie from the Courtauld Institute of Art, who selected Sophie as the winner and Petra as runner-up. Sophie gave a fascinating and meticulously researched presentation about the ‘Hampstead Murals’ by Gillian Ayers, which now proudly hang in the school atrium, but which were originally much maligned and, for a time, hidden from view. She shared fascinating photographs from the South Hampstead archive of girls peeling back the paper which once covered the paintings to protect them from being scraped by knives and forks in the school dining room!

Sophie will now represent the school at the London regional final of ARTiculation at the Courtauld Institute of Art in January 2020, where she will deliver a ten-minute presentation.