SALON NO.128: London Fog

Poetic and perilous, aesthetic and atmospheric, it has inspired authors, artists and film-makers - but often caused great harm to citizens. Join us as we set off on a journey through the mystery and menace, the causes and culture of the foggy city.

DR. IAN MUDWAY of Imperial College London will trace the history of London’s fog and smog, and its effects on the city's culture, from poetry to pea souper. He will show how it has shaped daily life and public health — and how understanding the science changes the way we see (and survive) the air that we breathe.

Author ANTHONY CLAYTON will guide us through Whistler’s London — a city draped in mist and smoke, that inspired the artist to transform fog into beauty via his paint. He will explore how Whistler painted London as much from the spirit of its air as from its architecture, and how the fog became a presence in his urban vision — a liminal space between clarity and obscurity.

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Dr IAN MUDWAY is Reader in Respiratory Toxicology and Environmental Health at Imperial College London. His research focuses on how air pollution and particulates affect human health, particularly in urban settings. Ian combines scientific rigour with historical awareness, making him uniquely positioned to bridge the worlds of art, environment, and public health in the story of London’s fog.

ANTHONY CLAYTON is a cultural historian and prolific writer on London’s hidden layers. His books include Subterranean City: Beneath the Streets of London, London’s Coffee Houses: A Stimulating Story, Decadent London, The Folklore of London, and Netherwood: Last Resort of Aleister Crowley. With deep knowledge of London’s social and symbolic landscapes, Clayton brings to life the atmospherics of place, myth, and memory.

Our home, THE HORSE HOSPITAL, is a unique Grade II listed not-for-profit,, independent arts venue within the only existing unspoilt example of a two-floor, purpose-built stable with public access in London.

Built in 1797 by James Burton, the shell is constructed with London Stocks whilst the interior features a mock cobbled concrete floor and ramps with slats to prevent the horses from slipping. Each floor has five cast iron pillars and several original iron tethering rings.

There will be a bar to purchase drinks

DIRECTIONS AND ACCESSIBILITY