Event Details
- Start Date 18/03/2026
- Start Time 11:00
- End Date 18/03/2026
- End Time 13:00
- Location San Roque Club
Turner; The Cockney Genius
by Jennifer Toynbee-Holmes
J.M.W. Turner is best known for his breathtaking paintings of stormy skies and turbulent seas, but there was far more to this visionary artist than dramatic landscapes. Living through one of the most transformative periods in British history—the Industrial Revolution—Turner embraced the energy of progress and modernity.
Between his birth in 1775 and his death in 1851, he witnessed rapid change, from steam engines to sprawling cities, and captured it all with bold brushstrokes and revolutionary style.
Far ahead of his time, Turner didn’t just document history—he redefined art itself, creating powerful works that blended natural beauty with the unstoppable force of innovation.
ABOUT THE LECTURER
Jennifer Toynbee-Holmes is a dynamic and engaging freelance lecturer with a rich and varied career spanning the worlds of art, film, and education. As an Official Guide at both Tate Britain and Tate Modern since 2011, she brings artworks to life for a wide range of audiences with insight, clarity, and enthusiasm.
Her academic experience includes senior and sessional lecturing posts at institutions such as Southampton Solent University, Birkbeck, and Goldsmiths, University of London, specialising in Film and Television Studies. Before entering education, Jennifer built a successful career in the film and TV industry, working as a producer, director, editor and researcher for leading organisations including the BBC, Goldcrest Films, London Weekend Television, and Tyne Tees.