The 2016 Somerville Magazine is now available to read online and can be found in the Alumni section of the website.
‘How many of us would expect an issue on the Visual Arts to reveal such riches of talent and so many great careers among the Somerville community?’ asks Principal Dr Alice Prochaska in her introduction to the Visual Arts Issue of the Somerville Magazine. Although art is not a course offered at Somerville, the magazine explores how the visual arts are present in many different aspects of Somerville life.
Beginning with historic Somerville, art historian and Somerville alumna, Fiona Gatty (History, 1981), writes on Mary Somerville’s life as a painter. Next, Richard Twose, who painted the portrait of Dr Prochaska, analyses the two contrasting paintings of Daphne Park, the former Principal of Somerville and former spy. Librarian Anne Manuel then writes about the 19th century Egyptologist Amelia Edwards and the vast collection of ancient artefacts and painting she left to the College.
Next, we profile three Somerville alumni, beginning with an interview with Janet Q. Treloar (Geography, 1960) about her watercolour paintings of WWII Russia. Next we hear from Mark Merrony (Archaeology, 1998) museum director and editor, on his colourful career. We couldn’t have an arts issue without interviewing Dierdre Saunder (Fine Art, 1978) on painting the first portrait of a woman (another Somervillian, Lucy Banda-Sichone) to hang in Rhodes House.
Finally, the magazine turns its focus to current Somervillians. JRF Dr David Bowe looks at imagery in Dante’s work; artist-in-residence Patrice Moor to whom we owe the cover painting, speaks with Chairman of the Somerville London Group Eleanore Sturdy (Chemistry, 1980); Mathematics Fellow Mason Porter writes on how drawing as a child inspired his career in mathematics; Fellow in Classical Archeology Charlotte Potts shares part of her research on Etruscan Art; Law undergraduate Megan Thomas (Jurisprudence, 2013) writes on how she created the set for David Edgar’s Pentecost and member of the Somerville Medievalist Research Group Jim Harris has the final word in a piece about using the Ashmolean’s collection in teaching. The striking image on the back is by recent graduate Gwil Hughes (Modern Languages, 2010), whose work is inspired by Welsh landscapes.
To read the magazine, please click the interactive image above.