Intellect PlusPoets
19 cards. Each one is a 40-second story with a five-minute read behind it.
The 'Silent Traveller' who captured the soul of London through artDiscover the life of Chiang Yee, a Chinese poet and artist whose wry observations defined his journey from Jiangxi province to the heart of British cultural life.
When an object speaks: the subversive power of the poem-objectThis exhibition explores the intersection of literature and visual art, specifically how contemporary creators use poetic language to subvert the function of everyday objects.
The Roman poet who transformed the landscape of Western literatureExplore the life and legacy of Horace, a foundational figure in Roman poetry. This video introduces his famous Odes, offering a gateway into the vibrant cultural world of ancient …
The masterpiece that was deemed a crime against public moralityExplore the life of Charles Baudelaire, the 19th-century visionary whose provocative poetry led to a landmark legal battle. This video traces how his personal suffering and bohemi…
Where the line between word and image begins to blurExplore how poets and visual artists collapse the boundaries of their respective mediums. This curation examines the intersection of language and sight, showcasing how contemporar…
How iconic voices shaped the landscape of American literatureExplore the legacies of the poets who defined a nation's literary identity. This video provides a concise overview of how these figures influenced generations of writers and reade…
How a Swedish artist finds healing in the forest's remnantsThis short film follows Maria Westerberg, Sweden’s 'twig poet,' as she navigates ecological loss and personal reinvention. It explores how her bond with the land shaped her creati…
Demystifying the intimidating art of lyrical poetryPoetry often feels inaccessible to beginners, but it is governed by specific principles rather than just abstract inspiration. This video breaks down common misunderstandings and …
From Anglo-Saxon manor to cradle of British aviationWalthamstow’s history is a masterclass in industrial evolution. It transitioned from a medieval manor owned by the nobility to a 19th-century suburban hub, eventually becoming a s…
The 20-year tug-of-war over a single London train lineFor nearly twenty years, a private railway company blocked the expansion of the Piccadilly line due to a restrictive 1902 agreement. This bureaucratic stalemate left thousands of …
A legal sanctuary born from a papal ban and royal decreeTo practice law in England, one must belong to an Inn of Court. Lincoln's Inn, the largest of these four, didn't just appear; it was forged by religious prohibitions and royal edi…- From a 12th-century guild to a global hub for creative researchGoldsmiths, University of London, carries a lineage that stretches back to medieval guilds. Today, it is a powerhouse of cultural theory and design, balancing a rich historical le…
- Bloomsbury: From a Medieval Manor to London’s Intellectual and Artistic HeartBloomsbury is more than a London district; it is a historic intellectual hub. Named after the Blemund family in 1281, this area evolved from rural farmland into a planned Regency-…
How a Secret Alliance and a Failed Assassination Redrew the Map of ItalyThe Second Italian War of Independence was not merely a military struggle, but a calculated geopolitical maneuver. Driven by a secret pact and the aftermath of a violent assassina…
Robert Browning grabbed a séance ghost and found the medium's bare footAt a séance in 1855, a spirit face appeared that the medium Daniel Dunglas Home said was Robert Browning's dead baby son. Browning seized it and found Home's bare foot. He had nev…
Tennyson could slip into a trance just by repeating his own nameFrom boyhood, Alfred Tennyson reported a strange waking state brought on by saying his own name over and over, until his sense of self seemed to melt away. William James later cit…
Elizabeth Barrett wrote a Homeric epic at fourteen and her father printed itBy her own account she read novels at six, fell for Pope's Homer at eight, started Greek at ten and finished an epic called The Battle of Marathon at fourteen. Her father had it p…
Gerard Manley Hopkins burned his poems and stayed silent for seven yearsIn May 1868, days after resolving to enter religious life, a young Oxford graduate built a bonfire of his own verse and almost stopped writing. He broke the silence only when a Je…
Wilfred Owen's mother learned of his death as the Armistice bells rangWilfred Owen died crossing the Sambre–Oise Canal on 4 November 1918, one week almost to the hour before the Armistice. The telegram reached his mother in Shrewsbury while church b…