STUDIO WEST presents artists Jess Allen, Olha Pryymak and Xu Yang in conversation with writer, art historian and independent curator, Catherine McCormack on the occasion of our group exhibition, ‘The Angel in the House’.
Having written on both the Pre-Raphaelites’ depictions of women and ‘The Angel in the House’ as an archetype of femininity, Catherine McCormack is uniquely positioned to lead this discussion surrounding our exhibition inspired by John Everett Millais intricate painting ‘The Bridesmaid’ (1851). The conversation will consider the relationships between women and domestic space throughout history, while positioning these contemporary women artists within a feminist discourse that seeks to readdress women’s role in art history.
Offering unparalleled insight into these artists' practices, the talk will consider how the artworks on show complicate notions of womanhood by re-approaching the relationship between women and domestic space and revisiting age-old signifiers of femininity in a new light. It will also consider the power of contemporary still life as a storytelling vehicle deployed by women artists to present their lived experiences and inner-worlds. Touching on how, through their practices, these artists neither wholly embrace nor entirely reject traditions associated with the feminine, and ultimately considering what ‘The Angel in the House’ might mean in the 21st century.
Join us at STUDIO WEST on Wednesday 5th July at 7pm to hear the artists in conversation with Catherine McCormack.