In this beautifully evocative essay, Rolake Osabia reflects on her own practice as an artist and painter of portraiture, and describes what it felt like to relinquish control, have her own portrait painted, and become somebody else’s muse.
During lockdown, the study of German expressionist artists George Grosz and Otto Dix, and their portrayals of women, made Claire Thomson recognise the stark truth of the body.
This year’s RA Summer Exhibition tackles the all too relevant theme of ‘Climate’ with wit, imagination, humour, awe and urgency, writes our contributor Emily Walters.
The Royal Academy’s latest exhibition, Whistler’s Woman in White: Joanna Hiffernan, uses paintings, drawings and sketchbooks to shine a light on the woman behind the muse, the business manager and companion behind the model.
Isabella Hill revels in the surreal, macabre and joyously colourful works of Oriele Steiner, Caroline Wong and Hera Gedikoglu at Art City Works and Purslane’s online exhibition, Saturnalia.
Angry at the sexual harassment women experience, Molly Williams began to paint something disturbing but powerful. The resulting painting, Bloody Barbarella, was her way of speaking back and subverting the violence of misogyny.
Artists Kat Cutler-MacKenzie and Ben Caro discuss their collaborative work, O.o.o.h! , a semi-pedagogic, semi-absurd investigation into the menstrual cycle inspired, in part, by the thought of philosopher Graham Harman and the photographs of Rafal Miłach.
Rosanne Robertson’s Subterrane uses both the ruggedness and fluidity of the West Cornish coastline to celebrate the beauty of queer bodies and gender non-conformity, writes Catherine Howe.
From a renaissance falconer’s bag to Haute Couture purses, the V&A’s current show, Bags: Inside Out, explores the history of this much needed and, at times, coveted accessory, writes Julia Bagguley.
Artist Yinka Shonibare curates a vibrant, magical and moving Summer Exhibition, one where a multiplicity of voices and artistic perspectives speak to the pain and progress of both past and present, writes Emily Walters.
Jade French, Suzanna Petot and Lottie Whalen of the interdisciplinary collective, Decorating Dissidence, discuss the recent Sophie Taeuber-Arp exhibition at Tate Modern, how dance informed Taeuber-Arp’s work and practise, and why she is relevant for us today.
Tara Fatehi Irani’s outdoor performance, Mishandled Archive, dismantles and remantles the archive, embodies and rebodies memories, and, in its fragmentary state, gives us something to hold whilst holding us, writes So Mayer, in their stunning reflection on the artist’s work. With contributions from Elhum Shakerifar and Sam Fisher.
