GWA Newsletter: November

All the shows you need to see; the books you need to read; and the artists you need to know about!

Nov 04, 2024

Dear Readers. I hope you are well. Coming to you from an autumnal London. Here’s your monthly dose of great things to look at, read and listen to — and some updates from me.

The Great Women Artists Podcast:

I spoke with the brilliant curator and writer Emerson Bowyer about the French sculptor, Camille Claudel (1864–1943). Hailed for her meticulously rendered and intensely passionate works of mythological and real figures, Claudel defied not just her gender, but the possibilities of sculpture itself. Speaking about The Waltz, Emerson said:

“The bodies are at this incredible angle, which you will never see in sculpture. They threaten to tip over – going against the idea of sculpture, which is supposed to be about stability and groundedness. Here we have a sculptor who is always working on the edge, trying to defy the limits of the medium.”

I interviewed the eminent writer and critic Merve Emre on Vanessa Bell and Virginia Woolf, two sisters who broke free of all traditions, forming languages, both artistic and literary, that paved the way for modernism in the UK. We discussed how they informed each other and visualised or put into words the world from their distinct, radical perspectives. As Emre tells me:

"Neither of these women, in making their art, lived lives that were particularly comfortable for them, even if they were lives of great creativity and great artistic intrigue. But they seem to be willing to make that trade off for the sake of understanding what new kinds of living and what new forms of representation could come out of it."

For a Halloween bonus episode, I discussed the image of the witch with Professor Lyndal Roper — Where does it stem from? Why is she so often an old woman, who is harmful and evil? And is it connected to the way women have been treated throughout history?

Speaking about the Malleus Maleficarum, and the books that perpetuated ideas of the ‘witch’, Lyndal said:

I think what's fascinating about that book [Malleus] is how intellectuals, using their very best techniques of argument and debate, can be led into the most absurd speculation and the strangest, weirdest fantasies.

Earlier this year, I had the privilege of talking with Audrey Flack (1931–2024) over a series of months before she passed away in June. We talked about her childhood, her experience in New York’s downtown art scene in the 1950s, her dedication to unearthing and debunking myths about womanhood — and much more. (This is us at her Upper West Side studio last year.) A preview:

“You know – now I sound kooky – but I think it's very real. A great work of art will transfer something from the artist to the canvas…to the wood…to the bronze. That spark, that intent of a great work, when all the things are working together and balanced, creates something that goes into the work and that remains there for centuries…”

And I highly recommend Audrey’s stunning memoir, With Darkness Came Stars – one of the most moving, extraordinary books I’ve ever read.

In The Guardian:

For The Guardian, I wrote about how the idea of a grotesque, green-skinned, broomstick-riding hag came about, and the artworks that have challenged it.

“If you’re thinking of dressing up as an evil old green-skinned witch for Halloween, could I offer an alternative? Why not go back to those ancient times, celebrate the woman who was powerful: knowledgable about herbs, able to heal, take part in rituals and perform what seemed like magic.
One artist who relished such characters was Remedios Varo, the Spanish-born painter who spent from 1941 until her death mostly living in Mexico City “surrounded by cats, stones, crystals and talismans”

A Story of Two Sisters: Judith and Joyce Scott

On Substack, I wrote about the wonderfully moving story of sisters Judith and Joyce Scott, and the astounding threads sculptures Judith created.

“These sculptures astounded everyone except for Judy who, undisturbed by the excitement surrounding her, continued every day to take pleasure in creating more and more pieces, some of them taking months to complete.”

Read on for more.

The Image of the Witch

Also on Substack, I collected some more examples of how artists Leonora Carrington, Leonor Fini, and Remedios Varo reclaimed the witch’s image in their art. Check that out here!

The Great Women Artists Residency

I am very excited to say that The Great Women Artists Residency at Palazzo Monti, Brescia, is back for its fifth year! Check out past shows here.

This year, artists Tali Lennox, Anna Calleja, and Sophie Ruigrok are taking part in the six-week residency, that will conclude with an exhibition opening Saturday 30 November, 6–9pm. Please join us! Details here:

And, mark Wednesday 27 November, 6–8pm, in your diaries for another instalment of the Hatchards Christmas Evening. We have some very special guests planned. All to be announced soon…

And now on to my cultural picks for the month. Enjoy! Xoxo Katy

6 great things to listen to: