The hellos were said July 4 at King’s College London. The goodbyes were said July 11 at the University of Sussex as the five-day conference came to a close. Under the sunny skies of London and Brighton, both were marked by smiles, laughter, hugs, and promises to meet again.
Here are some photos from the occasions.
Opening reception at King’s College London
Closing reception at the University of Sussex, Brighton
Read more posts about the 34th Annual International Conference on Virginia Woolf: Woolf and Dissidence
Not everyone can say they spent the 4th of July with Virginia Woolf. But Kathleen Donnelly and I can.
Three years ago, on July 4, 2017, Kathleen and I spent a day together in London. While there we visited a life-sized wax figure of Woolf on display in the foyer of the Virginia Woolf Building at 22 Kingsway at King’s College. It was installed Oct. 21, 2015, by artist Eleanor Crook.
Gaining entry
We were not able to walk right in, however, as entry to the building is secure. However, a kind security guard allowed us inside after noticing us standing out front with our noses pressed against the window. There, we were able to look around and take photos of the wax figure and the exhibit that surrounds it.
The location is significant, as Woolf was a student at the former King’s Ladies’ Department where she took classes in Greek, Latin, history and German between 1897 and 1902.
The Virginia Woolf display in the Virginia Woolf Building at King’s College, London, is straight up this set of stairs on the left.
The life-size wax figure of Virginia Woolf in a wardrobe of her own installed in the foyer of the Virginia Woolf Building at King’s College, London.
The Woolf figure holds a copy of “A Room of One’s Own” with a Vanessa Bell cover.
A quote on a panel in the Woolf display in the foyer of the Virginia Woolf Building, King’s College, London
