Impact case study database

Squire has been Principal Investigator of Modern Classicisms since 2015 [A]. The project received GBP400,000 in funding between 2016 and 2018 (c. 50% gifted by Christian Levett, Founder of the Musée d’Art Classique de Mougins (MACM); see also G.2.i). It also brought two doctoral/postdoctoral researchers to King’s, both with experience of collaborating with artists (Ruth Allen and James Cahill, 2017–2018; Cahill began a Leverhulme ECR fellowship at King’s in 2020). In November 2017, King’s staged a public workshop to launch the project, involving artists, curators, collectors, heritage professionals and academic researchers. This, in turn, led to a major King’s exhibition in spring 2018 – The Classical Now. Held across two London locations (Bush House Arcade and Somerset House), The Classical Now showcased work by 58 modern and contemporary artists (including Damien Hirst, Henry Moore, Pablo Picasso, Grayson Perry, Marc Quinn and Rachel Whiteread); these were displayed alongside Graeco-Roman artefacts – in ceramic, bronze, marble and mosaic – in four thematic displays (Overture, Place, Mythology, Pose). The exhibition attracted 8,248 visitors; 452 survey responses were collected [C].

Modern Classicisms and The Classical Now created a forum for academics, curators, teachers, students and artists to learn from one another. It brought King’s research into direct contact with a broad community of art professionals, while also bringing insights to a wider public audience. The effects were transformative: as the President of the Royal Academy writes, the “King’s research programme provided a very welcome structure that allowed experiences and debate to cross what has become in practice a professional divide verging on a gulf” [G.1.vi].

In what follows, impact is narrated thematically, structured around three beneficiary groups:

1. the creative benefits, especially among artist practitioners (sometimes with associated economic gain for professional artists);

2. the benefits to art-institution professionals, above all by influencing curatorial thinking, behaviour and practice;

3. the social and cultural benefits that derive from transforming public attitudes to ‘ancient’ and ‘modern’ art.

1. Stimulating artistic creativity

Influencing new artistic thinking and practice; establishing collaborative networks; inspiring, co-producing and generating creative artefacts (with economic gain for professional artists)

Figure 1: Caillard’s commission for The Classical Now ( The Times, 27 February 2018, p.4)

Professional artists have derived particular benefit from Squire’s underlying research [F]. Artist testimonies tell how Modern Classicisms and The Classical Now forged a new co-community of practitioners and researchers: “It feels like suddenly we’re in a community whereas before we were little torches in the dark” [F.2.i]; “I had the opportunity to … learn about the intersection of academic and artistic research” [F.1.vi]; as Marc Quinn writes, it spurred “opportunities to create a dialogue between my work and … the past” [F.1.vii]. Artists also speak of professional gains: “the public presence of Dr Squire’s research projects has brought me increased exposure and profile” [F.1.viii]; “[Modern Classicisms] gave me a chance to connect my theoretical and practical interests in art” [F.1.iv]. This has led to more tangible benefits, too. British sculptor Nick Hornby associates the “huge inspiration” of his collaboration in Modern Classicisms with two 2019 artist residencies – and a successful bid for a paid public commission at Harlow Science Park [F.1.ii, completed in summer 2019]. French multimedia artist, Léo Caillard, likewise states that his collaboration within the exhibition led to an increase both in public exposure (“a 40% rise in website traffic”) and sales (among collectors “who first encountered my work in The Classical Now”) [F.1.i].

Léo Caillard draws attention to longer-term professional benefits, too. Caillard worked with Squire to produce a colossal installation on top of Bush House for The Classical Now [Figure 1]. The commission attracted major media attention for Caillard [E], resulting in four new commissions and exhibitions (“It has helped further establish my reputation in the UK – but also in France and internationally” [F.1.i]). “My view of antiquity, and the thinking behind my artistic practice, has matured and evolved as a result of encountering Squire’s research”, Caillard writes, “I also find myself able to articulate my own work more clearly to galleries and collectors” [F.1.i].

Figure 2: A-level student portfolio on The Classical Now (Pipers Corner School, High Wycombe)

Modern Classicisms and The Classical Now spurred various other creative activities, including a competition launched in September 2017: 27 entries were received in diverse media (e.g. poetry, drawing, choral composition, film, textiles, painting, photography, video game [A]). Among visitors to the exhibition, 51% of public respondents indicated that their own creativity had been enhanced [C.1 p.6]; subsequent interviews indicate a range of media (e.g. film, song-writing, patchwork-quilting, photography, painting, architecture, sculpture, textiles) [C.1, C.2]. The same data identifies specific beneficiary groups [C.1] – including a group of school students studying A-level art [Figure 2], and a Royal Drawing Schools class (“it has made me see more value in re-examining ancient aesthetics and ideals and re-purposing it for new messages”) [C.1 p.27].

2. Changing museum/art institution practice

Stimulating new museum projects (with social, cultural and economic benefits); changing art institutional behaviour; enhancing curatorial interpretation, presentation and engagement

Thanks to collaborative partnerships with art institutions (e.g. MACM, Royal Academy, British Museum, Soane Museum, DESTE Foundation for Contemporary Art, White Cube [A, G.1, G.2, H]), The Classical Now brought Squire’s insights into direct dialogue with museum and gallery professionals. Those respondents who self-identified as curators attest to this impact – both of The Classical Now (“I took inspiration from lots of aspects of the exhibition for future ideas and projects”; “it has introduced me to some bold curatorial … practices”; “it’s a tendency in the curation … I think that I could work in my country [Ecuador]”, [C.1 p.16]), and of associated Modern Classicisms workshops and events (“a very good paradigm of how to rethink public events as collaborative thinking rather than transmission of knowledge”, [B.1 p.13]).

Activities have in turn generated new museum projects. As a direct result of The Classical Now in London, MACM curated a partner exhibition of works by Léo Caillard in France ( Past is Present: March-May 2018): March to May 2018). The MACM Director pinpoints Modern Classicisms as the stimulus for the show [G.1.iii]. She also indicates the benefits of both exhibitions to MACM (e.g. national/international publicity, estimated 20% increase in visitor numbers and hence revenue, demographic participation – especially among millennials): “Squire’s research has informed, and helped us articulate, our day-to-day practice and aspirations for the museum” [G.1.iii; see also A].

An indirect benefit has been to encourage future collaborations between art institutions and British universities. The DESTE Foundation for Contemporary Art in Greece – which sponsored Liquid Antiquity: Conversations as part of The Classical Now – explains how this partnership was its first with a British university: the successful collaboration “enhanced our international presence and our networking and brought our work closer to a new audience … [It] has certainly enhanced our eagerness to form such partnerships again in the near future” [G.1.iv].

Testimonials from museum professionals confirm a longer-term benefit to curatorial practice. The Director of Sir John Soane’s Museum describes how Squire’s research challenged him to reflect on the museum’s aims: he concluded that Soane also “wanted his museum to be a living entity that responded to contemporary art as much as ancient art”; as a result, the museum intends “to increase … offerings in contemporary art where it makes sense in terms of our holdings” [G.1.i]. The 2020–21 exhibition Langlands & Bell: Degrees of Truth demonstrates this shift, setting contemporary artistic work by Ben Langlands and Nikki Bell against the antiquities and neoclassical spaces of the museum.

The impact of this research has changed practice at the British Museum, too. Ian Jenkins (Senior Curator) tells how King’s research – disseminated via The Classical Now – has led to new curatorial decisions . “A case in point would be the British Museum’s exhibition on Troy” in 2019–20, Jenkins writes, which opened by juxtaposing a modern painting by Cy Twombly and Hittite remains: “Squire’s own research … [and] the King’s project … played an important role in our approaching landscapes of modern artistic reception, as well as their potential for innovative visitor engagement.” “Such dialogue between museums and universities proves mutually beneficial: it forms part of our shared programme of research, as well as our common commitment to outreach and widening participation – in London, the UK and globally” [G.1.ii].

3. Transforming public perceptions

Changing public attitudes to ‘ancient’ and ‘modern’ art; engaging new audiences; associated social benefits (from e.g. public understanding, cultural participation and enhanced quality of life)

Squire’s research has helped to shift public understandings of both ‘classical’ and ‘contemporary’ art. Already in November 2017, the launch workshop of Modern Classicisms facilitated a public discussion between 31 academics/ artists/ curators/collectors, with videos subsequently published online [A]. Of the 272 participants, 94% of respondents indicated that they learned something new, 67% felt enhanced creativity, 63% felt inspired [B.1 p.7]: “inspirational”, “enlightened a new view of antiquity”, “feeling renewed in my approach” [B.1 pp.5, 11, 8; see also B.2, B.3].

The Classical Now exhibition – which was without cost to visitors – extended the reach and significance of this impact. In total, 96% of responses were positive: 78% “enjoyed themselves”, and 65% “learned something new” [C.1 p.6]. Crucially, response data demonstrates that the exhibition transformed visitor perceptions in two distinct ways. First, the exhibition changed attitudes to ancient art (193 answers: e.g. “Made me realise the continued relevance & influence of classical work”; “Brought ancient art alive for me”; “I realised that ancient art is … more accessible than I imagined it to be” [C.1 p.10]). Second, the exhibition changed public appreciations of modern and contemporary art (173 answers: e.g. “More multilayered than I thought”; “Made it seem ancient”; “Made me like it more”; “The exhibition changed my view” [C.1 pp.12 and 13]). Survey responses also point to associated knock-on social benefits – increasing accessibility, stimulating cultural participation and encouraging independent analytical reflection (e.g. “It’s made me want to go and look at more ancient art in London museums”; “It will influence how I view galleries in future, both of modern and ancient art”; “We’ll see different things and we’ll be able to make connections” [C.1 pp.10 and 17]).

There is indication of broad demographic reach, too [C.1 p.4]: 15% of exhibition respondents were international tourists (representing 5 continents); 78% had no previous King’s connection; 36% identified as non-white (higher than the UK BAME make-up of 14%). Some visitors enrolled in the accompanying cultural programme – including a lecture by Mary Beard (396 attendees [A]) and a study weekend co-organised with the Royal Academy [H]. Social media amplified this impact. Engagements with #TheClassicalNow reached 1.076 million users [D], with tweeted responses claiming, for example, “I am a different human being after seeing this!” [C.1 p.20]).

Professional reviews and media coverage affirm significance while extending secondary reach [E]. The Guardian rated The Classical Now among “5 of the best” UK exhibitions (“an epic update of the antique” [E.6]; The Sunday Times wrote that “by placing … well-known torsos against Yves Klein’s eye-popping answer …, you will see each one afresh” [E.7]. Impact has continued after the exhibition closed. The Times Literary Supplement listed the catalogue [6] among the “2018 books of the year”: “[it] should have a lasting impact …, with some excellent essays on the continuing and sometimes unexpected dialogue between modern artists and antiquity” [E.10].