Following the successful 2008 talks, the Petrie Museum will be celebrating LGBT History month in 2009 with two free evening seminars reflecting sexuality in ancient cultures as well as an exhibition of paintings based on the Roman Mummy Portraits by artist Andrew Prior.

Desire and Papyrus: The Discovery of fragments of Sappho in Egypt (LGBT)
Thursday 5 February 6-8pm FREE
Doors open 6pm, with the talk at 6.30pm
Join Dr Debbie Challis for a talk on the reception of the Greek poetess Sappho in art and literature the late nineteenth century. The talk will explore how the discovery of fragments of Sappho’s poetry in Egypt helped to transform the image of this poetess and readings of her desire in poetry by the lesbian poet Michael Field (Katherine Harris Bradley).

Antinous: Gay Icon?
Thursday 26 February 6-8pm FREE
Doors open at 6pm, Roman Antinous 6.30pm, Gay icon at 7pm
Following on from the recent exhibition on Hadrian at the British Museum, we will explore how influential his lover Antinous has been as a gay icon in the Roman period and beyond. Join us for a talk by John J. Johnston on Antinous and sexuality in Roman Egypt and a talk by Cathie Bryan on the continuing reception of Antinous as a gay icon in more recent times.

Exhibition: Andrew Prior: Legacy
Tuesday 3 - Saturday 28 February 2009.
Tuesday to Friday 13.00 – 17.00 Saturday 11.00 – 14.00
Andrew Prior is a London based artist and designer. He practices his art in a wide range of media including works on paper canvas and wood, fashion design, interior design and jewellery design and manufacture. He often works to commission, but also uses the inspiration of the ancient Mediterranean for his own personal creations, including the portraits in this exhibition which are inspired by the mummy portraits of Hawara. The portraits in this exhibition, with the exceptions of Hadrian and Antinous, are all from life and are acquaintances of Andrew.

The Petrie Museum is attached to the Institute of Archaeology, University College London (UCL), Britain’s leading institute of Egyptian Archaeology.

The Petrie Museum | Univerity College London | Malet Street | WC1E 6BT
Warren St & Goodge Street Tube 020 7679 2884 | www.petrie.ucl.ac.uk