HMA Jill Morris CMG gave our final UK lecture for the 2018-19 academic year at the British Academy on 10 June. In her talk entitled ‘UK–Italy: reflections on a historical and contemporary relationship’, Her Excellency discussed the historical connections between the UK and Italy, considered the relationship between the two countries as seen from her position as Ambassador, and highlighted how the BSR and the Embassy were collaborating and partnering on projects as part of a ‘British family in Italy.’
We were honoured that our President, HRH Princess Alexandra, attended this special event.
You can read about the event
here
and watch a video recording of the lecture and Q&A
here
.
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Goodbye to our 2018-19
award-holders
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Thanks to Québec Resident Dan Popa for this photo of Dillwyn Smith (Abbey Fellow) and Blazej Czuba (Scholars' Prize in Architecture).
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Update on restoration of the façade
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The restoration of our Lutyens façade is making great progress, with the completion date for the project, including new handrails and lighting, anticipated for this summer. We are planning to inaugurate the restored façade in September to celebrate the beginning of the new academic year.
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A round-up of the term's activities...
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Hidden Rome: 3D recording under the Hospital of San Giovanni
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The BSR, Newcastle University and the Università di Firenze undertook a joint field school this month using 3D technology and structural building analysis to document the house of Domitia Lucilla, the mother of the Emperor Marcus Aurelius.
The team, formed by BSR award-holders and students from Newcastle and Firenze universities, was also joined by Kyle Murray, the recipient of this year’s
Roman Society
archaeology placement at the BSR.
The research at San Giovanni led by Professor Ian Haynes and Professor Paolo Liverani was
recently awarded a five-year ERC advanced grant
which will focus on this area of Rome over the next five years. Ian spoke about the project with Thea Ravasi at this year's joint Roman Society lecture.
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Brave New World: New Visions in Architecture
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Over the last year the
Brave New World
Architecture programme has explored the changing role of the architect and questioned whether younger designers are driven by a renewed social consciousness, and more utopian ideal of what can be done by design. The lecture and exhibition
Mean Home in May, saw young Italian and British architects finding ways of working together on the urgent problem of housing.
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Drawing in Academic Practice
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Award-holders, Research Fellows, staff and artists from other academies participated in various exercises including timed and collaborative drawing, with the aim of finding different ways of engaging with objects and buildings.
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Photography and film have been running themes throughout 2018-19. In June the BSR premiered Sainsbury Scholar Anna Brass' film
Thomas Nashe Lenten Stuff and hosted a double-bill film night on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Rome and D-Day.
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City of Rome Postgraduate Course 2019
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With Cary Fellow Robert Coates-Stephens on sabbatical (on a Fellowship at ANAMED, the Research Center for Anatolian Civilizations within Koç University of Istanbul), this year's two-month
City of Rome Postgraduate Course was directed by former BSR Assistant Director Amanda Claridge and co-organised by Residential Research Fellow Niccolò Mugnai.
The course provided an up-to-date account of the historical development of the major monuments and urban spaces of ancient Rome, discussing – and in some cases challenging – the results of the most recent archaeological research undertaken in the heart of the city and in its surroundings.
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Midlands4Cities Doctoral Training Programme
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Co-produced by
Midlands4Cities academics and BSR staff and award-holders, the programme was designed to build connections between doctoral researchers and the wider community of artists and scholars at the BSR.
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Membership and Development News
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Members' visit to the Ashmolean Museum
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BSR Members visited the Ashmolean Museum’s Western Art Print Room in June for a special
Members-only event.
Our Members were given an overview of the Print Room and introduced to the history of its formation by Angelamaria Aceto (Research Assistant) and Ian Hicks (Ashmolean-Getty Paper Project Research Fellow), contributors to the
Italian Drawings Project. Our Members were then able to examine highlights from the Ashmolean Museum’s important group of Italian drawings, including works by Raphael, Michelangelo, Correggio and Parmigianino.
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In May we hosted our Ashby Patrons'
visit to Rome. Our
Ashby Patrons play a vital role in supporting the BSR. This special weekend is a unique opportunity for them to learn more about the BSR’s activities, to talk to award-holders and staff and to understand first-hand the work and direction of the institution.
This year's weekend included a visit to the Library and Archive of the Accademia Nazionale di San Luca, a Tiber river cruise followed by a visit to the Isola Sacra, and lunch hosted by Her Majesty's Ambassador to the Holy See Mrs Sally Axworthy.
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To join us on some of these membership events, click the button below to find out more about our membership and patron schemes
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Every Thursday over the summer we shall be highlighting an object of the week from our archives and special collections. Follow us on
Twitter and
Instagram to find out what we chose and why.
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Image credits
:
HMA Jill Morris' lecture at the British Academy: Greg Allen. Award-holders at the Colosseum: Dan Popa. Façade detail: Natalie Arrowsmith.
June Mostra
2019, intallation view: Roberto Apa. The team at San Giovanni in Laterano: Antonio Lopez Garcia. Brave New World: Giorgio Benni. Drawing in Academic Practice workshop: Anna Brass. Forum of Caesar: Niccolò Mugnai. Midlands4Cities Doctoral Training Programme: Ben White. Members at the Ashmolean: Alice Marsh. Ashby Patrons visiting Isola Sacra: Natalie Arrowsmith. Detail of Piranesi's
Ichnographiam Campi Martii
: courtesy of the BSR Archive and Special Collections.
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