A Centenary Celebration of Ismond Rosen
Join us for a special event marking the 100th anniversary of the birth of the renowned psychoanalyst and sculptor, Ismond Rosen. This session will take the form of a discussion between Ruth Rosen and the Freud Museum’s Director Giuseppe Albano. The conversation will explore Ismond Rosen’s unique legacy, which incorporates the worlds of both sculpture and psychoanalysis. There will also be an introduction to some of his art and ideas, followed by a Q&A session with the audience.
Biography
Born in Johannesburg and trained at the Wits Medical School, Ismond Rosen developed the first psychiatric outpatient clinic in this country, which, as the Paddington Clinic and Day Hospital, became the first psychoanalytical clinic in the NHS. An early innovator in the popular understanding of psychiatry and psychoanalysis, he worked on programmes such as Lifeline and Horizon. A Fellow of both the Royal College of Psychiatry and the Royal Society of Portrait Sculptors, Rosen was also a practicing artist who had trained in Paris, and his sculpture is to be found as far apart as the South Africa National Botanical Gardens, the Kreuzekirche, Berlin, and the Vatican Museums in Rome.
“Call him what you will – renaissance man, polymath, genius – Ismond Rosen was by any standards an exceptionally gifted man. In his lifetime he was acknowledged as a distinguished psychoanalyst, an internationally acclaimed artist, a prolific writer, and an exemplary communicator in the fields both of radio and television. His election to the fellowship of both the Royal College of Psychiatrists and the Society of Portrait Sculptors, for example, bears witness to the depth and diversity of his talents.”
Henry R. Rollin, on Ismond Rosen, National Dictionary of Biography
SPEAKER
Ruth Rosen, named by the British Council as “One of Britain’s leading poetry and prose performers,” is renowned for bringing poetry and prose to global audiences, from Wembley Stadium to Moscow’s Oval Hall. A former actress with the Royal Shakespeare Company, her career highlights include readings on the Holocaust, work with Soviet dissidents, and solo shows based on figures like Virginia Woolf, John Keats, and Anna Akhmatova. Rosen’s performances deeply immerse audiences in the spirit of the poets’ work.
For more information, visit Ruth Rosen’s website.
Complement your visit to the Freud Museum with one of our weekly tours or talks led by staff, volunteers and guest speakers.
The talks are free with your admission ticket. Book your admission ticket now!
The event will be held on the first floor of the Museum during regular opening hours. Unfortunately the Freud Museum does not have step-free access at this time. Advance booking is highly recommended as capacity is limited.
Concessions/Members/Patrons: Please show proof of eligibility/membership card on arrival.
