Artist Jeremy Deller and classicist Mary Beard come together for a conversation about collective acts of commemoration.
Is commemoration the same as celebration? What does it mean to put a statue in a public place? From public spaces, where commemorations have historically been performed and public monuments erected, to artist tributes for fellow artists, individuals, and acts of the past, enjoy their wide-ranging discussion.
Jeremy Deller is the National Gallery’s Bicentenary commissioned artist with 'The Triumph of Art'. A nationwide performance that takes us towards and concludes our Bicentenary celebrations, it marks how festivals are part and parcel of art, culture and society, and that art and artists can be catalysts of collaboration and joy.
Mary Beard is Professor Emerita of Classics at the University of Cambridge and Fellow of Newnham College, where she has taught since 1984. She has written numerous books and articles on ancient history and archaeology and has presented many BBC television documentaries on Roman history and art more generally.
Filmed on 24 May 2024, this Friday Late was organised in conjunction with ‘The Triumph of Art’, our nationwide commission with artist Jeremy Deller, supported by The Art Fund.
