Kettle’s Yard invites you to an illuminating panel discussion and book launch exploring the life and legacy of Polish-born writer Sophie Gaudier-Brzeska (1872–1925). Her literary voice – from fiction and poetry to biographical writings – remains underappreciated, and this event seeks to bring her work into sharper focus, especially in relation to her partner, artist Henri Gaudier-Brzeska, whose work forms a foundational part of the Kettle’s Yard collection.

• Expert insights: The panel is chaired by Dr Inga Fraser, Senior Curator of the House and Collection at Kettle’s Yard, with contributions from: Juliette Bretan, writer and PhD candidate at the University of Cambridge; Dr Patricia Gillies, Senior Lecturer at the University of Essex; Ania Ready, Polish-British photographic artist and author
• Literary discovery: Learn how Jim Ede grappled with Sophie’s story in his writing about Henri, and how her voice has been eclipsed even as his art became central to Kettle’s Yard.
• Contextual legacy: The panel will examine Sophie’s contributions, archives in the UK and France, and her resonance within Kettle’s Yard’s ongoing narratives.

This event offers a rare opportunity to rediscover Sophie Gaudier-Brzeska – not as a footnote to a famous artist, but as a literary talent whose work deserves recognition in its own right. Through archival exploration, creative reinterpretation, and scholarly discussion, the panel considers how history shadows her story and how Kettle’s Yard is embracing multiple narratives.

More info & tickets here

1 October, 6.30-8.00 pm

Kettle’s Yard
University of Cambridge, Castle Street, Cambridge, CB3 0AQ