Date/Time
Date(s) - 11th Nov 2025
14:00-15:30
Location
St Matthew's Church
Categories
This literary and visual lecture on the poems and paintings of World War One is set to coincide with Armistice Day 2025. Nick Nelson will explore the rich tapestry of poems and paintings created to capture and commemorate aspects of the First World War between 1914 and 1918. In the first instance, we will take a deep dive into the official war poets Wilfred Owen, Rupert Brooke and Siegfried Sassoon alongside the official war artists John Nash, Paul Nash, Henry Tonks and John Singer Sargent. This will lead to a brief survey of Vorticism and Futurism in art and literature, via such seminal figures as Wyndham Lewis, Christian Nevinson and Filippo Tommaso. Time permitting, we will end with Jeremy Deller’s creative event of 1st July 2016 ‘We’re Here Because We’re Here’ commemorating the 100th anniversary of the first day of the Battle of the Somme, 1916.
Nick is currently Head of History of Art at Cheltenham College, where he has also taught Art and Design, Architecture, Music, English, Classical Civilisation, Theology, Philosophy and Ethics. Prior to this, Nick studied History of Art and Architecture at The University of East Anglia, took a PGCE in Art & Design at The University of Reading, and completed his Masters in The History of Art at The University of Buckingham. The spot focus for his Masters was on ‘Synaesthesia, Harmony and Discord in the work of Wassily Kandinsky and Arnold Schoenberg 1909-14.’
Nick established Arcadia Education with his wife Katie in 2014 for teaching, tutoring and touring with History of Art. Since such time he has lectured around the world for the Soho House Group, and in the UK for the Arts Society, and, formerly, NADFAS, The Friends of the Wilson, Dunkerton’s Cidery and other venues. Nick has run several courses in Art History at Barnsley House, Marlborough College Summer School and The Ellenborough Park Hotel. Nick raised £4,000 for the NHS in two-weeks during the covid pandemic, with a series of lectures called Culture in Quarantine. Nick lectures on a wide array of topics, from the Renaissance to Modernism.
Cost per person including tea/coffee and cake: FoTW members £11, non-members £13
Non-members welcome.
If you have any questions about the event or booking please phone Alison on 01242 519413 or Sue Reeves on 01242 675497 or email events@friendsofthewilson.org.uk.
Please book using one of the following options:
- On-line bookings with a debit or credit card can be made using the form below.
- Bank transfer – please email events@friendsofthewilson.org.uk to let us know you have sent your transfer so that we can send you a booking confirmation. Bank transfers should be made to Friends of The Wilson Sort Code 30-91-87 Account 00005816. The reference must include your surname plus as much of the event title as will fit, for example SMITH WW1.
- Cheque – please complete a booking form (download here ) and post it with your cheque. Please make cheques payable to Friends of The Wilson and send with a SAE or clearly written email address to Mrs Alison Pascoe, 77 Naunton Lane, Cheltenham, GL53 7AZ.
Places are not confirmed until payment is received.
Terms & Conditions: When taking part in the talk please follow these guidelines:
- Please do not attend a talk if you have any Covid-19 symptoms
- You are undertaking this event at your own risk
If you have any problems with our booking system please email events@friendsofthewilson.org.uk and we will be happy to help.