Everyman uncovers the real Mona Lisa Mystery in a Late Debate
8th May 2006
As the world awaits the enigmatic charms of this year's most hyped film,
London's Everyman Cinema Club reveals the rise to fame of Da Vinci's
iconic painting with Master of the Mona Lisa Professor Donald Sassoon on
Wednesday 31 May 2006.
Following a Da Vinci Code screening, author of the much-praised Mona
Lisa: The History of the World's Most Famous Painting and Professor of
Comparative European History at Queen Mary, University of London,
Sassoon will discuss its role in popular culture and avant-garde art in
'The Late Debate: The Use and Abuse of Mona Lisa' with Time Out's Dave
Calhoun.
From The Simpsons and Looney Tunes to the songs of Britney Spears and
Bob Dylan, its appropriations by Dadaists and Surrealists, as well as
its representation in countless feature films and advertising campaigns,
Sassoon will shed light on how and why this mysterious sitter has become
one of the most powerful cultural icons of our time. Its history,
mythology and the never-ending flood of new and "conclusive" theories
about Mona Lisa's smile will also be uncovered with questions taken from
the audience.
Born in Cairo and educated in Paris, Milan, London and the United
States, Sassoon's next book entitled The Culture of Europeans published later this year calls to question what constitutes European
culture and is set to spark debate both in the UK and internationally.
The 'Late Debate' is a new series of events from the Everyman Cinema
Club that engage cinema-going audiences in current affairs issues raised
by provocative new releases in a welcoming and relaxed environment.
'The Late Debate: The Use and Abuse of Mona Lisa' takes place at 8pm
with a screening of The Da Vinci Code followed by a Q&A at 10.30pm on
Wednesday 31 May at the Everyman Cinema Club, Hampstead (diagonally opp
Hampstead tube). Tickets £15 - to reserve your space, please visit www.everymancinema.com or call Reception on 0870 066 4777.
Copies of Donald Sassoon's book Mona Lisa: The History of the World's
Most Famous Painting will be on sale at the event.
Donald Sassoon's book Mona Lisa: The History of the World’s Most
Famous Painting (Harper Collins 2001)
What has made the Mona Lisa the most famous picture in the world? Why is it that,
of all the 6000 paintings in the Louvre, it is the only one to be protected by two
sheets of bulletproof glass and to hang, solitary, on its own wall? Why
do thousands of visitors throng to see it every day, ignoring the
masterpieces which surround it? For nearly 500 years the painting - and
the mysterious smile on the face of the sitter - has been a source of
mystery, speculation and reverence. In this book, Donald Sassoon
describes not only the Mona Lisa and its history, but its mythology, and
the processes which combined to raise it to its current level of fame.
He examines Leonardo's innovative techniques; the problems concerning
the identity of the sitter; what happened to the painting after it left
Italy when Leonardo joined King Francois I's court in France; the copies
made in the 17th century; its celebration by 19th-century intellectuals;
its theft and disappearance early in the 20th century; the surrealists',
other avant-garde artists' and cartoonists' uses of it; its appropriation by the advertising industry; and the never-ending flood of
new and "conclusive" theories about Mona Lisa's smile.
About Dave Calhoun
Film Editor of Time Out, Dave has also written for other publications
including Dazed & Confused, Another Mag, The Times and Sight & Sound.
About Everyman Cinema Club
A world-renowned venue located in the heart of Hampstead village, the
Everyman Cinema Club is revolutionising the silver screen leisure
experience. By setting new standards in style, comfort and service, the
venue provides an upmarket, multi-functional destination for great
entertainment and events.
EVERYMAN CINEMA CLUB - 087 00 66 4777
5 Holly Bush Vale, Hampstead Village, London NW3 6TX
Diagonally opposite Hampstead Tube (Northern Line)
Venue enquiries and hire info: 020 7435 1600
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