ART & CULTURE - LEVEL

This event explores the intriguing balance between fate and free will in Sufism, offering insights into how these concepts shape the Sufi spiritual journey. Sufism, as a mystical branch of Islam, teaches that while everything in the universe is ultimately part of God’s divine plan, humans are also granted free will to make choices. The event will discuss how Sufis view fate (qadar) as the unfolding of God’s will, while also emphasizing the responsibility of individuals to make conscious decisions aligned with divine guidance. Participants will gain a deeper understanding of how free will is exercised within the framework of fate, and how this balance leads to spiritual growth. The event invites to explore these profound ideas, helping find harmony between surrendering to God’s will and embracing personal responsibility.

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Step into a World of Words: Poetry Reading Night with Matthew Peter-Carter!

Join us for an unforgettable evening where literature comes to life! Amazing actor Matthew Peter-Carter will bring some of the most powerful and thought-provoking poems to life, immersing us in the beauty of language and emotion.

May theme is ‘Intelligence and Intuition‘
Through the selection of poems we will explore the dynamic between mind and heart, logic and inner voice and will discuss the following pieces:

• From an Essay on Criticism – Alexander Pope
• Late Wisdom – George Crabbe
• The Book Burnings – Bertolt Brecht (translated by H.R.Hays)
• Women – Alice Walker

No preparation is needed—just bring your curiosity and let the words transport you. We’ll not only listen to these masterpieces read aloud by a professional actor and literature scholar, but also take time to discuss and reflect on how their ideas and emotions are shaped by the power of language.

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Art is made within the spaces of limitation. Whether it is the technical aspects of materials or the requests of patrons or the desire to visualise an intangible feeling, art is a form of problem solving. This lecture looks at the art of instructions and how, within the limits of instructions either specific or open-ended, artists can produce vastly different artworks. First, we’ll look at examples of historic artists and how they responded to the social and intellectual rules of their time, including Byzantine icons, China’s Song Dynasty and France’s Academy. We’ll then explore how modern and contemporary artists often use instructions to ‘unlearn’ traditional power systems, from the Surrealists to artists like Yoko Ono, John Cage and Sol Lewitt. The goal is to understand how instructions and regulations can actually become spaces for the freedom of expression.

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This is a series of workshops designed by Azumi Uchitani to explore Japanese culture through the art of calligraphy and language. We will meet bi-weekly, slowly moving from season to season and uncovering new characters, rituals, concepts and beliefs deeply rooted in Japanese lifestyle. Each event we will centre around a new symbol: we will learn its meaning, discuss a poem about it, meditate and experience the power of the concept through calligraphy practice.

### Wisdom: 知恵 (chie)

Join us for our next Japanese Calligraphy workshop, where we will explore the beautiful and profound kanji 知恵 (chie)—meaning wisdom or intelligence. This character represents not just intellectual knowledge, but also the deeper, intuitive understanding that comes from life experience. In Japanese culture, chie embodies a harmonious balance between learned intelligence and instinctive insight, making it a perfect reflection of our monthly theme: Intelligence and Intuition. Through the meditative practice of shodō (書道), we’ll reflect on how this concept continues to shape values, decisions, and interpersonal relationships in Japan—and how it might inspire our own. Whether you’re new to calligraphy or a returning participant, come deepen your understanding of this powerful word through ink, brush, and mindful expression.

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