Art in Cambridge: About

About me

Hi! I'm an art historian, academic with a PhD, and lecturer in Film Studies. I'm also a mother, a German, and a Bollywood lover. I moved to Cambridge in 1991. Two years ago, I gave a talk on the film, the novel and the painting Girl with a Pearl Earring when a very nice woman in the audience asked me if I had a blog. I had to say 'no' but that's when the idea of starting an art blog was sparked and just wouldn't let me go. I wish I could meet up with that nice woman again to thank her!

In this blog, I want to

• connect with my local art world (i.e. Cambridge)
• engage with you -- readers from Cambridge and around the world

If you're in Cambridge: discover works of art and architecture that you may not have known about, and find out what's on!

If you're from elsewhere: I hope you may be inspired by my perambulations to wander about your own home town, discovering art!

About Cambridge, England

Cambridge is a peculiar place. Considering its relatively small size (population: 125,000; student population: 35,000), it has an unusually lively art scene, fuelled by its two universities, 15 or so museums and public galleries, 31 colleges (many with art collections) and 8 theological colleges. There are also 31 churches, 23 college chapels, the University Library with a collection of art and manuscripts, the annual Open Studios (400 members) and at least 40 award-winning pieces of architecture.

The whole town vs gown duality plays itself out in the art world. Gown = colleges, museums, university architecture. Town = commercial galleries, street art, Open Studios, Science Park architecture, local religious activities. This is the bald version: reality is somewhat more complex.

So you can see that there's a lot to visit, enjoy and discover!