The Greek Community of Melbourne (GCM) presented on Wednesday, September 27, the third iteration of The John Berger Memorial Lecture. This year’s lecture took the audience on a journey of deep introspect as Yves Berger and Isaac Klotz presented a more personal side of John Berger through reading the letters that he and his son Yves exchanged throughout the years.
Discussing the world of art and exploring the themes of life and understanding, Yves narrated the letters he had exchanged with his father, while Isaac read to the audience John’s replies.
Sharing their thoughts on specific art pieces such as Caravaggio’s Conversion of Saint Paul and Francisco Goya’s The Burial of the Sardine, the audience were treated with a look into the way John perceived these art pieces and how his relationship with the works had changed over time.
At the conclusion of the presentation, the audience were presented a series of hand drawn portraits depicting Yves, Isaac, and John and were invited to ask questions.
Vice-President of the GCM and host of the lecture, Dr Jim Bossinakis, stated, “it is always a pleasure bringing the world of art into the walls of The Greek Centre. John Berger, who is most well-known for The Ways of Seeing, also published works on migration, some of which many members of our community have a deep infinity with.”
He further stated: “tonight’s lecture, has not only brought new faces into The Greek Centre, but has continued the legacy of what ‘The John Berger Memorial Lecture’ is meant to be. At its core, ‘The John Berger Memorial Lecture’ aims to celebrate a way art brings together community and inspires conversation.”
The full lecture is available to watch via The Greek Orthodox Community of Melbourne and Victoria’s Facebook page, or via this link: https://www.facebook.com/Greekcommunitymelb/videos/326761610032827/