Across British history, from ancient conflict to contemporary Brexit, the water surrounding the islands has served as a symbolic and political boundary as well as a physical landmark. Lily Le Brun’s innovative work Looking to Sea examines the central motif of the ocean across representations of modern British life. The sea–an instrument of both imperial expansion and isolation, a place of both leisure and work, representing both refuge and danger–has served as muse to British artists across centuries. Considering ten depictions of the sea from the past hundred years, Le Brun uncovers a changing and multifaceted image of Britain itself. Join her at the Library to discuss navigating the troubled waters of identity and ways of seeing oneself through the sea.

About the speaker:

Lily Le Brun is a writer from London. A graduate of Edinburgh University and the Courtauld Institute of Art, she has written on art for publications such as Art Quarterly, the Financial Times and the Economist. In 2018 Lily won a Royal Society of Literature Giles St Aubyn Award for the early chapters of Looking to Sea. She lives in Paris, and this is her first book. Author photo © Sophie Davidson.

Important information: The discussion will be available both online and in person. While the conversation will happen in person (Le Brun will appear in the Reading Room), the Library will stream the conversation on Zoom for a live viewing experience. Both in-person and online attendees will be able to pose questions.

This event requires advance registration.

Attendance at this event constitutes permission for your photograph or video to be taken at the event and used by the American Library in Paris for marketing, promotional, pedagogical, or other purposes.