Talks and shows

Icons of science

World-renowned art historian Martin Kemp unpicks the most iconic images in scientific history and discovery.

Event image by BERK OZDEMIR via Pexels

Please note the original date of this talk was Friday 8 March 2024. It will now take place on the new date of Saturday 9 March 2024

Join Martin Kemp as he explores the evolution of iconic scientific images since the Renaissance, and how these images have come to represent entire fields of study. 

From the iconic double helix, to the famous E=mc², Martin will guide us through various images throughout all areas of science, the stories behind each image, and how they gained their revered status. He poses intriguing questions about engineering images depicting the unseen, such as the COVID-19 virus or the rings of Saturn. Discover the role of icons in scientific contexts and popular culture, as Martin sheds light on the common features that unite these powerful symbols by examining the prevalence of icons in specific scientific disciplines, as well as their significance in communication and perception. 

This talk promises to provide a deeper appreciation for the visual language of science, arguing them to consider the profound role that iconic images play in shaping our collective understanding of the world.

Event type

This is a theatre only event where the speakers and audience are together in our Theatre.

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For any queries regarding this event please get in touch by phone 020 7409 2992 or email events@ri.ac.uk.

About Martin Kemp

Martin Kemp
via Gresham College

Martin Kemp is the world's leading authority on Leonardo da Vinci. He is a Professor Emeritus of the History of Art and an Honorary Fellow of Trinity College, University of Oxford. Professor Kemp was trained in Natural Sciences and Art History at Cambridge University and the Courtauld Institute, London. He has held visiting posts in Princeton, New York, North Carolina, Los Angeles, Harvard and Montreal.

Much of his work has been centred around Leonardo, Renaissance art, and the links between art and science. Indeed, he has written and broadcast extensively on imagery in art and science from the Renaissance to the present day. Leonardo da Vinci has been the subject of a number of books, including Leonardo (Oxford University Press, 2004) and the semi-autobiographical Living with Leonardo (Thames & Hudson, 2018).

Timing

Doors to the theatre will open at 6.45pm and the talk will begin at 7.00pm.

Accessibility

The event will take place on the first floor and there is step-free access from the street via lift.

The closest underground station is Green Park, which is step-free.

There is space at floor level in the theatre for wheelchair users.

Seating is usually unreserved for our events. If you and your group require seating reservations, please do let us know by emailing us at events@ri.ac.uk, and we’ll be more than happy to help.

Carers can receive a free ticket to an event by emailing events@ri.ac.uk.

Our theatre is equipped with an Audio Induction Loop. 

Covid guidelines

Face masks are no longer mandatory and wearing one in our Theatre and at other Ri events is at your discretion, however please do not attend the Ri if you are displaying Covid symptoms or, if you have tested, the result remains positive. Thank you for respecting other people and their choices, and for helping us keep all of our visitors and staff safe and well.

Event terms and conditions