Queer Bloomsbury x Queer Heritage South present
History Club: Robert MacBryde and Robert Colquhoun at Charleston in Lewes 

For our January edition of Brighton's LGBTQIA+ History Club we incredibly excited to be traveling to Charleston Lewes, for an exclusive visit and a behind the scenes of the new exhibition "Robert MacBryde and Robert Colquhoun: Artists, Lovers, Outsiders" and a conversation with the curators.

Join writer and curator Shannon Smith for an in-depth exploration of The Two Roberts, Charleston’s new exhibition on the lives and work of Robert MacBryde and Robert Colquhoun. These two Ayrshire-born artists - lovers, collaborators and central figures in mid-20th-century British art - were at the heart of a circle that included Francis Bacon, Lucian Freud and John Minton.

This talk traces their creative partnership from their meeting at Glasgow School of Art in 1933 through the turbulence of wartime Europe and London during the Blitz, and on to the tragedy that marked its end in 1962. Drawing on paintings, prints, drawings and archival material from the exhibition, Shannon will discuss their rapid rise, their influence, and their place within the shifting artistic landscape of the period.
The conversation also considers their years in Lewes, where they were supported by the Miller sisters - patrons connected to the Bloomsbury group - and how this Sussex chapter shaped both their work and their lives.

Curated by writer and broadcaster Damian Barr, the exhibition restores MacBryde and Colquhoun to the centre of the modernist story. This event offers a chance to delve deeper into their legacy and to understand the force of their creative partnership.

The event is ticketed and on a sliding scale - £5, £8, £12. Tickets to the event include the talk and entry to the exhibition. Spaces are very limited.

Travel to Charleston Lewes is not included in the ticket. Please note this is Charleston new exhibition space in Lewes, and not in Firle. The exhibition space is located 3 minutes walk from Lewes train station.

How to get to Charleston Lewes:

By train
Lewes train station is a three minute walk (0.1 mile) away on Station Street. Southern rail operates from this station with routes to London, Brighton, Eastbourne and Hastings.
By bus
The nearest bus stop is a three minute walk (0.1 mile) away on Lewes High Street, serving the 28 and 29 bus route, as well as local services 121, 122, 124, 128, 129, 166, 167 in Lewes town.
The 28 and 29 bus services run from Tunbridge Wells to Brighton via Uckfield and Ringmer. They also serve the local universities

Event Details
From 2:00PM to 4:15PM
Location
Charleston in Lewes, Lewes, BN7 1FB