Our selection of the five best talks, readings, lectures, debates and other wordy-based events taking place across London in the month ahead.
Monday 6th June
Art, Activism and the Avant-Garde @ Somerset House
£10, 7pm
With Ai Weiwei still missing, and his work currently on display at both Lisson Gallery and Somerset House, now is a poignant time to examine the relationship between art and activism. Greg Hilty from the Lisson Gallery, Mel Jordan from Freee art collective, sloganeering artist Bob and Roberta Smith, and Tom Trevor from Bristol's pioneering Arnolfini gallery discuss the issues.
Wednesday 15th June
Complements and Conflicts @ Roof Unit
Free, 7pm
One of Spoonfed's favourite contemporary photographers) Toby Smith chairs a discussion about overlapping photography sectors, at the recently opened Roof Unit, which he also co-founded. Contributing to the debate are Patrick Di Nola, Managing Editor of Reportage by Getty Images, Chris Littlewood, Director of Photography at Flowers Galleries and Skye Trayler Graham, Director of Trayler & Trayler.
Tuesday 21st June
Museums Are Bad at Telling Us Why Art Matters @ Saatchi Gallery
£25, 7.30pm
The title pretty much says it all. A discussion exploring the role and purpose of major art institutions – are they bad at providing arguments for the importance of art? Is that even what they're here for/ What are they here for? Various big shots, including Alain de Botton, art critic Ben Lewis, White Cube director of exhibitions Tim Marlow, and Matthew Collings, argue the finer points.
Wednesday 29th June
Politics and Space in Regency London @ ICA
£12, 6.45pm
This month Pablo Bronstein is transforming the John Nash-designed ICA with a series of Regency-inspired architectural interventions, choreographed art and ballet performances. This evening sees Paul Stock, Professor of History at the LSE, chairing a discussion of the Regency period, and its enduring appeal – particularly in terms of all things architectural.
Thursday 30th June
Calling Time on the Grand Projects @ Bishopsgate Institute
£8, 7.30pm
Pop-psychogeographer Ian Sinclair heads up a panel of speakers at the Bishopsgate Institute exploring the idea of the Grand Project – those ludicrous top-down egotistical, architecturally insensitive projects like The Millennium Dome and the 2012 Olympics. "My name is Ozymandias, king of kings: Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!"
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