September 30, 2011
Glamour Factory: Danny Rees
Danny Rees of the Wellcome Library will join us for our Late Shift Extra the Glamour Factory at the National Portrait Gallery on October 7th for an exploration of what makes a memorable face, and will introduce us to the ancient practice of physiognomy: reading virtue and character from facial characteristics. What, exactly, does the face reveal?
Marilyn Monroe - unmistakable.
What is beauty? Why are we attracted to certain faces and not others? Can there ever be an agreement on what makes someone desirable? If this has ever crossed your mind, you are not alone. Many have tried in the past to quantify and pinpoint the elusive quality of beauty. From Charles Darwin to Tom Ford you will find a vast array of opinions on “fashion” in faces.
Can it be true that symmetry and “averageness” are attractive? What happens to the development of our face when we experience illness? What constitutes a masculine or feminine face, and does that hold the key to success?
Join me on a journey exploring our heart’s desires. And while you are there, why not experience having your forehead “read”, courtesy of a rare piece of technology from 18th Century Germany. Only recently translated into English for the first time, see how well this centuries old technique bears up to the modern (un-botoxed) face.
Room 16 will feature images of gorgeous film stars and give you the chance to look at beauty (and your friends) afresh in a fun and active way.
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