We were thrilled to welcome the distinguished cultural historian, academic and fiction writer Dame Marina Warner to a well-attended lunch. Marina’s many award-winning books include Alone of All her Sex: The myth and Cult of the Virgin Mary, and Joan of Arc: The Image of Female Heroism. She has also written a fascinating memoir, Inventory of a Life Mislaid, about her parents’ life in Cairo, where Marina spent her early childhood. Her father was an English bookseller and her mother was Italian; she was brought up as a Catholic. Marina’s lifelong passion for fairy tales, mythology and allegory as well as her belief in the power of the imagination have been inspiring.
Our Chairperson Lucy Popescu talked to her about her latest book, Sanctuary, Ways of Telling, Ways of Dwelling. which investigates the ancient origins of this important idea. Later, the principle that any Church was a safe place, and that strangers must be given hospitality, was accepted in medieval Europe. Marina spoke eloquently about the historical background to the idea of sanctuary and what it has meant for thousands of years. Interesting anecdotes about fairy tales and legends showed the depth of her knowledge of folklore and her awareness of the connections between different world cultures.
Particularly impressive was her compassion for refugees who need sanctuary now: at a time of increasing nationalism and xenophobia, when migrants are often vilified and rejected, Marina is directing a project called Stories in Transit which brings young refugees together with artists, writers and musicians in the UK and in Sicily. Since 2016, in a series of workshops, they have been encouraged to invent or reimagine stories and to perform them, often using puppets or masks or music. Marina passionately believes that storytelling can function as a “binding agent” between strangers, creating a new kind of sanctuary. She is curating an exhibition, The Shelter of Stories, at Compton Verney in Warwickshire. This exhibition, which opens on October 25th, will explore the art of storytelling and its vital role at a time of mass upheaval.
This was a really thought provoking and exciting event. I’m looking forward to reading Marina’s book.
by Miranda Miller
www.mirandamiller.info