A rich feast of colour and imagery arrives on TV screens this month, showing the history of the British Isles as never seen before in a new OU/BBC series, The Art That Made Us.
Lavish and comprehensive, the eight-part blockbuster, which starts on Thursday 7th April at 9pm on BBC2, spotlights art from all genres and throughout the ages, spanning stories of war and invasion, to trauma and Royal rebellion, through to cultural and religious upheaval.
By exploring many different and often unfamiliar artworks and linking them to the present day, viewers can expect a feast of colour but also an insight to how these historical works have impacted contemporary art in today’s British Isles.
The chronological and alternative sweep through 1500 years of art begins in Roman times, passes through the creative renewal that followed the Black Death in the Middle Ages and beyond, right up to late 20th century, taking us to the heart of eight dramatic moments of historical change.
Ambitious and wide-reaching, the series ensures the viewer does not stay in the past but brings audiences right up to date, blending contemporary working artists from across cultural fields with the historic art of old.
The joys of discovery and exploration “on an epic scale”
For example episode one sees sculptor Antony Gormley meet Spong Man, a unique clay figure that once sat on a 5th century funerary urn, a mysterious glimpse into the mindset of early Anglo-Saxon settlers. Meanwhile actor Michael Sheen performs the 7th century Welsh poem of resistance against the Anglo-Saxons, Y Gododdin, and Scottish artists Dalziel & Scullion wonder at the monumental Aberlemno Stones (ca.500-800 AD) believed to mark the hard-fought boundary line of the Pictish kingdom.
The landmark series focuses on art from all genres. The consumer boom of the Georgian era and the ensuing growth of a new conscience about slavery are both depicted, as well as a focus on the artists who imagined better futures amid the depths of world war in the early 20th century, culminating in the exhilarating acceleration of culture, youth, sex and rebellion in art since the 1960s.
This BBC-OU co-production has been guided by the expertise of three OU academic consultants.
Professor of 20th-Century Literature Sara Haslam is one of them and she says the series demonstrates the joys of discovery and exploration “on an epic scale”.
“Little-known objects of beauty or interest; lesser-known creative artists with diverse stories to tell – what a great way to explore and celebrate the rich cultural history and heritage of the nation(s). I’ve hugely enjoyed playing a part in this project!
“Being involved with the series as an OU academic has reminded me how vital it is to tackle master narratives when considering and curating a nation’s cultural and creative histories. Those top level narratives, helpful as they may be for some storytelling, are built on a richness and variety that needs to be seen to be believed!”
The Open University’s Senior Lecturer in Early Modern History and nominated academic on the series, Dr Gemma Allen, features heavily in the third episode of the series, bringing expertise to discussions around “Queens, Feuds and Faith”, telling the story of the 16th century religious revolution as England and then other parts of the British Isles turned Protestant.
Dr Allen said:
“I’m delighted that I feature in the episode on the 16th century, and that I am able to share with viewers the hidden messages contained in Mary Queen of Scot’s needlework. Why does this queen in captivity decide to embroider a ginger cat playing with a little grey mouse? Is it just an appealing design, or is it a commentary on her relationship with Elizabeth I? Is Elizabeth I the ginger cat who is tormenting her?
“In contributing to this episode, I was able to draw on my own research on 16th-century women’s political activity – it’s something that’s often overlooked, especially for non-royal women, but I believe that you can’t understand the politics of the time without including women’s activities.
“That’s something that all the nominated academics were keen to do in our work on this series: we wanted to help the production team bring to the screen overlooked stories of creativity that challenge accepted ideas about our history.”
“Offering new perspectives on our collective creative past”
Dr Amy Jane Barnes, Staff Tutor in Art History, is the third of the academic consultants to the series. In praising the “ambitious and stylish series” she added:
“The stories presented throughout the series provide a view of art and creativity, one that is both diverse and sometimes subversive, which departs from the well-trodden narratives that will be familiar to many.
“This collection of stories is rich, engaging and above all accessible. I think it will offer viewers new perspectives on our collective creative past.”
This project was commissioned by Broadcast and Partnerships and is supported by the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences with particular relevance to BA (Hons) Arts and Humanities, and a range of modules including Discovering the Arts and Humanities, Telling Stories: the novel and beyond, Exploring Art and Visual Culture, and The British Isles 1789-1914.
- Commissioned by Dr Caroline Ogilvie, Head of Broadcast & Partnerships
- Academic Consultants: Dr Gemma Allen, Dr Amy Jane Barnes and Professor Sara Haslam
- Media Fellow: Dr Jo Paul
- Broadcast Project Manager: Jo Weeks
- Supporting online content: Chris Belson
Supporting Online content:
Visit our NEW Broadcast & Partnerships site where you can find extensive resources and information on topics related to this series. (NB. only goes live when the programme airs).
