Egyptomania: Discover the Cultural Legacy of Ancient Egypt through Art and Architecture

Egyptomania: Discover the Cultural Legacy of Ancient Egypt through Art and Architecture

(PRESS RELEASE) LONDON, 5-Jan-2023 — /EuropaWire/ — The British Museum, discovering two million years of human history and culture, invites you to join renowned writer and BBC presenter Dan Cruickshank as he leads a panel of experts in exploring the concept of “Egyptomania” and the enduring influence of ancient Egypt on art and architecture.

First up is Egyptologist Dr Benjamin Hinson, who will invite us to reconsider the often-maligned category of “tourist arts” – locally produced art that was popularized by tourists visiting Egypt. Following the 1922 discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb, a craze for all things Egyptian swept through Western popular culture, leading to a reinvention of traditional Egyptian crafts for this growing market. While these items are often dismissed as “kitsch,” Hinson argues that they offer a unique perspective on how Egyptians engaged with Western perceptions of their country.

Next, Dr Anna Ferrari, Curator of Art and Visual Culture at the Science Museum, will delve into the ways in which 20th century modernist artists like Alberto Giacometti, Henry Moore, and Mahmoud Mokhtar were inspired by ancient Egypt. This talk will explore the various ways in which modernists engaged with ancient Egyptian heritage and ask: is this fascination with ancient Egypt truly “Egyptomania”?

Finally, writer and researcher Dr Chris Elliott will cover over 200 years of the cultural legacy of ancient Egypt as expressed through architecture, from mock temples and pyramids to obelisks and more. From mills to mausoleums and cinemas to synagogues, Elliott will explore the “what, where, and why” of these buildings.

This event is the perfect complement to the ongoing exhibition “Hieroglyphs: Unlocking Ancient Egypt,” which will be open until February 19, 2023. Don’t miss this opportunity to delve deeper into the enduring fascination with ancient Egypt. The talks will take place online on Thursday, 26 January between 17.30 — 18.30 and will require you to use the video conferencing system Zoom.

To attend this online event

Book now to secure your place. We’re hosting the event on Zoom – a free video conferencing system that requires users to register in advance. If you do not already use Zoom, you can sign up using this registration link.

If the event is fully booked, or you do not wish to use Zoom, you can also watch the event – as well as other events in the series – streamed on the Museum’s events YouTube channel.

This event includes live captioning provided by Stagetext and delivered by MyClearText.

Read our booking form privacy policy.

To find out more about the speakers visit the event’s page at https://www.britishmuseum.org/events/egyptomania

SOURCE: British Museum