Arts Society Considers Tahiti’s Enduring Image
Simon Keable-Elliott on the fascination it holds for Western art and literature
Bay of Oaite Peha, Otaheite by W Hodges (courtesy of the lecturer)
June 23, 2026
The Arts Society SW London turns its gaze to the South Pacific this summer with an evocative evening lecture on Monday 13 July, exploring how Tahiti captured the imagination of writers and artists for more than a century.
Entitled “Tahiti – The Enduring Image: 1767–1920”, the talk will be given by Simon Keable-Elliott at The Community Church, Werter Road, SW15 2LL, from 8pm to 9pm, preceded by a summer party from 7.15pm.
Keable-Elliott’s lecture traces the fascination that Tahiti inspired in Western art and literature — from the first European encounters in the 18th century to the lush, dreamlike visions of the early 20th. The island’s image as a paradise was shaped by the writings of Herman Melville, Robert Louis Stevenson and Somerset Maugham, and by the paintings of Charles Giraud, John La Farge and Paul Gauguin, whose vivid depictions helped define Tahiti’s place in the cultural imagination.
The evening promises a rich blend of history, travel and art, examining what made Tahiti so unique and why its allure continues to resonate today.
Non-members are welcome, with entry priced at £10 in person or £5 online.
The Arts Society SW London is part of the wider national Arts Society network, a charitable organisation dedicated to enriching lives through the arts. The SW London branch has built a reputation for welcoming, high-quality cultural events that bring together people with a shared interest in art, history, music and design.
If you have never attended an Arts Society lecture before you are urged to join and find out about your local Arts Society.
Visit the society’s website for further details.
Like Reading Articles Like This? Help Us Produce More This site remains committed to providing local community news and public interest journalism. Articles such as the one above are integral to what we do. We aim to feature as much as possible on local societies, charities based in the area, fundraising efforts by residents, community-based initiatives and even helping people find missing pets. We've always done that and won't be changing, in fact we'd like to do more. However, the readership that these stories generates is often below that needed to cover the cost of producing them. Our financial resources are limited and the local media environment is intensely competitive so there is a constraint on what we can do. We are therefore asking our readers to consider offering financial support to these efforts. Any money given will help support community and public interest news and the expansion of our coverage in this area. A suggested monthly payment is £8 but we would be grateful for any amount for instance if you think this site offers the equivalent value of a subscription to a daily printed newspaper you may wish to consider £20 per month. If neither of these amounts is suitable for you then contact info@neighbournet.com and we can set up an alternative. All payments are made through a secure web site. One-off donations are also appreciated. Choose The Amount You Wish To Contribute. If you do support us in this way we'd be interested to hear what kind of articles you would like to see more of on the site – send your suggestions to the editor. For businesses we offer the chance to be a corporate sponsor of community content on the site. For £30 plus VAT per month you will be the designated sponsor of at least one article a month with your logo appearing if supplied. If there is a specific community group or initiative you'd like to support we can make sure your sponsorship is featured on related content for a one off payment of £50 plus VAT. All payments are made through a secure web site. |