Neil Cox

Genius. Anti-artist. Charlatan. Impostor! Since 1914 Marcel Duchamp has been called all of these. No artist of the 20th century has aroused more passion and controversy, nor exerted a greater influence on art, the very nature of which Duchamp challenged and redefined as concept rather than product by questioning its traditionally privileged optical nature. At the same time, he never ceased to be engaged, openly or secretly, in provocative activities and works that transformed traditional artmaking procedures. Written with the enthusiastic support of Duchamp’s widow, this is one of the most original and important books ever written on this enigmatic artist, and challenges received ideas, misunderstanding and misinformation. With 172 illustrations in colour

Lizards and snakes (squamate reptiles) are the most diverse vertebrate group in Australia, with approximately 1000 described species, representing about 10% of the global squamate diversity. Squamates are a vital part of the Australian ecosystem, but their conservation has been hindered by a lack of knowledge of their diversity, distribution, biology and key threats. The Action Plan for Australian Lizards and Snakes 2017 provides the first comprehensive assessment of the conservation status of Australian squamates in 25 years. Conservation assessments are provided for 986 species of Australian lizards and snakes (including sea snakes). Over the past 25 years there has been a substantial increase in the number of species and families recognised within Australia. There has also been an increase in the range and magnitude of threatening processes with the potential to impact squamates. This has resulted in an increase in the proportion of the Australian squamate fauna that is considered Threatened. Notably over this period, the first known extinction (post-European settlement) of an Australian reptile species occurred – an indication of the increasingly urgent need for better knowledge and management of this fauna. Six key recommendations are presented to improve the conservation management and plight of Australian squamates. This Action Plan represents an essential resource for research scientists, conservation biologists, conservation managers, environmental consultants, policy makers from Commonwealth and State/Territory governments, and the herpetological community. FEATURES First assessment of the conservation status of the Australian squamate fauna in 25 years. Complete assessment of the 986 Australian squamate reptile species recognised as at 2017. Analysis of the changes in conservation status of the squamate fauna over the past 25 years. Draft conservation assessments for the species described between the 2017 workshops and the 31st August 2018. Development of six key recommendations to improve the conservation management of Australian squamates.

This lecture was given by Neil Cox of the University of Essex, one of Britain's leading scholars of Cubism and Surrealism, and a particular authority on Picasso, approaching the Spaniard's work from intriguing angles. He concentrates on a single work, Picasso's "Head" of 1913, and in doing so demonstrates how scrupulous focus can open out challenging perspectives in the work of a great master. Established following the 125th anniversary of the foundation of the Chair of Fine Art at the University of Edinburgh and named after the painter Sir John Watson Gordon, the "Watson Gordon Lectures" typify the longstanding and positive collaboration between the University of Edinburgh and the National Galleries of Scotland: two partners in the Visual Arts Research Institute in Edinburgh.

"The Essential Artists" series from Tate Publishing are authoritative reference guides to the world's major artists, providing the essential information on each artist's work and career in an attractive, accessible and affordable format. Pablo Ruiz Picasso was the most prolific artist in the history of Western art. Born in 1881 in Malaga, southern Spain, he spent almost all of his productive life in France, dying in Mougins in 1973. In more than seven decades as an artist, Picasso finished two thousand oil paintings alone, along with sculptures, ceramics, collages, prints, photographs, drawings and jewellery designs. This new book, drawing extensively on recent research, will provide an overview of the whole range of Picasso's art and career. Uniquely, it takes a thematic approach, examining Picasso and poetry, Picasso and war, Picasso and 'disfigurement' - the fragmentation of the human form in his work - Picasso and play and Picasso's ruminations on the figure of the artist. The introduction looks at Picasso himself, and the myths that surround him, concluding that it is impossible to disentangle the man from his legend. Separate sections include extracts from Picasso's poetry and writings and from critics both contemporary and historic. Functioning both as an introduction for those coming fresh to Picasso's work and bringing new insights to those already familiar with his career, this important and at the same time accessible book is one of the most significant additions to Picasso literature in recent years. Neil Cox is Senior Lecturer in Art History and Theory at the University of Essex. He curated an exhibition called A Picasso Bestiary in 1995 and is the co-author of "Marcel Duchamp and Cubism".