The Arts Society Kington Langley Newsletter

We end this 2022 -2023 Season and look forward to the next one - our 30th Anniversary year.

The Arts Society Kington Langley has had a very successful season with a series of thoughtful and knowledgeable lectures, numerous activities and flurries of excitement. From our initial 2022 lecture way back last October when Sarah Dunant enthused us with the mixed fortunes of the ruthless ‘Borgia Family’, we then went on to explore the world of music that inspired ballet choreographers, cast a tear at a performance of Fonteyn and Nureyev, and lusted after the jewels of ‘Faberge, Tiffany and Lalique’.

These jewels brought us to our members Christmas lunch which turned out to be yet another glorious and convivial feast. 2023 gave us an insight into ‘Salvador Dali’ and then we teared up again looking at ‘New Dawn,’ the memorial to 100 years of suffrage, in Westminster Hall.

We enjoyed our fantastic Special Interest Day- ‘The Romanovs, Tyrants and Martyrs’ of Imperial Russia. The lectures were stimulating, full of in-depth knowledge and kept the audience enthralled. We shared a Russian Buffet - never has so much food been created using potatoes, onions, beetroot, boiled eggs to name just a few. Apparently, the only thing we missed off the menu was Swan! However, we didn’t think the new King would have been keen to share so we managed without.

Look out for our next Special Interest Day on 27th February 2024 on the ’Highlights of Japanese art’ and there will be a Japanese themed lunch to enjoy. We were oversubscribed last year so look out for the booking times.

TASKL travelled the world through ‘Aviation Posters’, felt the heat and light as we took the ‘Blue Train to the French Riviera’ and then popped into the ‘Viennese Secession’ to look at the work of Klimt.

We celebrated the Coronation of King Charles lll and Queen Camilla with a glass of fizz and then finished the year with Pimm’s and Nibbles before our final outstanding lecture on the ‘Wonderful Things’ that emerged from the tomb of Tutankhamun. Lucia Gahlin gave us an accomplished and enthusiastic insight into what was in the tomb and the reasons they were there. 

We have squeezed in a couple of trips, one to Stratfield Saye, the country house of the Duke and Duchess of Wellington and the second to Longford Castle and Roche Court. Lunch gave members time to enjoy the sights and also each other’s company.

Sarah starts off our 2023/24 season once again with ‘Donatello and Dawn of the Renaissance’ and we will celebrate our 30th Anniversary with food, refreshments, and the joy of fellowship. Some of our previous chairpersons will join us as we look back at our journey from that initial lecture way back in 1993 and then to the joys that lie ahead of us. There will also the opportunity to display your artwork at our pop-up exhibition and celebrate creativity.

Look at the events listings to get a flavour of our eclectic lecture programme for the new season, and join us at some or all of our events.

Thank you to everyone who has come to our café before the lectures to chat with friends, or make new ones, to everyone who has zoomed in from near and far, or who has helped our amazing committee and just made TASKL feel a happy and vibrant society to be part of. Membership is holding up well which is wonderful especially when we hear that other societies and organisations are folding or having much reduced numbers.

The committee and I hope you have a relaxing/exciting summer (delete as appropriate) and we look forward to seeing you all again in October to catch up on your news.

Heather (Chair)

heather.artssociety@gmail.com