Description

  • Something A Little Different, Theatre/Arts and Walks & Tours
  • Tickets from £12.00
  • n/a
  • Sun, 20th Oct 2024 @ 13:30 - 15:00
  • 13:30 - 15:00

Death masks date back to Egyptian times when a mask would be placed on the face of a mummy as part of the funeral rites. This was believed to protect the soul of the deceased from evil spirits on its journey to the afterworld. The Romans made wax masks of dead family members for the purposes of later creating statues and busts of the person. 



This tradition continued into the Middle Ages where masks made of wax or plaster were used in funeral ceremonies and were later kept in libraries, museums, and universities. Before the widespread availability of photography, the facial features of unidentified bodies were sometimes preserved by creating death masks to help in retrospective identification. 



Nick Reynolds is one of the few people still practising this ancient art today. Two of his iconic masks are in Highgate Cemetery East his father, Great Train Robbery mastermind Bruce Reynolds, and Sex Pistols manager Malcolm McLaren. Nick will also uncover his extraordinary story behind making the death mask of John Joe ‘Ash’ Amador, the 402nd person to be executed in Texas since the reintroduction of the death penalty in 1982, this tale is worthy of an evening in itself. 



This talk gives a rare opportunity to learn about this fascinating subject. The whole process will be described in detail and lavishly illustrated with videos and Nick’s hugely entertaining anecdotes.


Nick Reynolds

Nick Reynolds, the UK's foremost death mask practitioner for over 25 years, is celebrated for creating masks of notable figures like Malcolm McLaren, Peter O'Toole, Ken Russell, and General Ojukwu. His work is permanently showcased at the National Portrait Gallery, with three masks displayed at Highgate Cemetery. Son of Great Train Robbery mastermind Bruce Reynolds, Nick has been featured in the BBC's "Death Masks: The Undying Face" and other documentaries. Besides sculpting, he plays in Alabama 3, the band behind The Sopranos' theme song.

Photo by Rankin



Offers

Promotions

Tickets/Times

Ticket Event time Cost
FACING UP TO DEATH

The Ancient Art of the Death Mask

13:30 - 15:00 £12.00

Location

Address

Brompton Cemetery Chapel, North gate off Old Brompton Road, South gate off Fulham Road, London, SW5 9JE

Nearest Station

West Brompton (Tube)


Getting there

Organiser

A Curious Invitation and Antique Beat
This year Antique Beat and A Curious Invitation will be hosting The London Month of the Dead, a series of 36 different events investigating the capital’s relationship with its deceased residents. Events will include a private view of the Museum of London’s bone archive, taxidermy workshops, macabre walking tours and private views and a programme of weekend death salons with talks on subjects ranging from public dissection and body snatching to reincarnation and funereal folklore. Each salon will feature a pair of speakers, authorities in fields such as osteology, forensic pathology and the paranormal, who will offer their own perspectives and insights on mortality in the city. Each year the London Month of the Dead donates 20% of all ticket revenue to one of London's magnificent seven cemeteries. In 2017 all of the death salons and concerts will be hosted at the Dissenters and Anglican chapels at Kensal Green. In previous years the month's programme has centered around Brompton Cemetery but the chapel is now undergoing important restoration work, a project the London Month of the Dead is proud to have supported. The London Month of the Dead has been curated by a Curious Invitation and Antique Beat to inform, entertain and provoke on the subject of death and London cemeteries.

T&Cs

1. The ticket holder voluntarily assumes all risks and danger incidental to the event for which the ticket is issued, whether occurring prior, during or after the event. The ticket holder voluntarily agrees that the management, venue, event participants, DesignMyNight WFL Media Ltd and all of their respective agents, officers, directors, owners and employers are expressly released by the ticket holder from any claims arising from such causes.
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4. Occasionally, events are cancelled or postponed by the promoter, team, performer or venue for a variety of reasons. If the event is cancelled, please contact us for information on receiving a refund from the responsible party. If the event was moved or rescheduled, the venue or promoter may set refund limitations. It is your responsibility to ascertain the date and time of any rearranged event.
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7. We regret that tickets cannot be exchanged or refunded after purchase.
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12. The event listed on the purchased ticket is strictly for ticket holders who are over 18 years of age. Identification may be required.

Customer Reviews (4)

Previous London Month of the Dead reviews

78% 248
14% 44
3% 11
3% 9
2% 5

Showing {{ eventVenue.reviewsFilter }}/5 ratings only.

5

Based on 317 customer reviews

  • Written by Lauren

    Rating: 5

    VERIFIED

    Visited 4 months ago
    As a London Month of the Dead regular, I was chuffed to have an event around Christmas. The performance was fantastic and the atmosphere was perfect!
  • Written by Cherry

    Rating: 4

    VERIFIED

    Visited 4 months ago
    We were a little disappointed that we were unable to hear Casting the Runes. The other stories were fun though, especially the Judge’s House. How could it go wrong with Bram Stocker in charge!
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