Women in Art Trip | Independent School Kingston upon Thames | Surbiton High School
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Celebrating Women in Art Trip

Posted: 30th November 2022

On 22 November, the Green and Silver club took a group of students from the Art Department to the Barbican Centre for an evening titled ‘Celebrating Women in Art’. We were invited by the Female Lead Charity, which was founded by former pupil, Edwina Dunn. 

The event was inspired by the Barbican Art Gallery Exhibition, ‘Carole Schneemann: Body Politics’, and was introduced by both Edwina Dunn and Claire Spencer, Barbican CEO. 

A lively discussion took place from the panel of four experts: Will Gompertz (Barbican Artistic Director), Alex Light (Body Confidence Advocate), Jennifer Higgie (Former Editor Frieze Magazine) and Eleanor Nairne (Barbican Curator). The overall theme was ‘Women’s place in Art’. Of particular interest were the areas focusing on how female artists were forgotten and lost in Art History and textbooks, and that female artists’ ‘achievements’ were always compared to male artists, rather than celebrated in their own right.  

A fascinating statement, “Art isn’t a competition with others; it is a competition with yourself and with history” was very thought-provoking, and made us consider the concept of art itself and how it should be explored. 

In summary, the evening was an amazing opportunity for students studying Art to learn more about this fascinating subject. 

In relation to the evening, the Green and Silver Club have kindly donated to the Art Department ‘Mirror and the Palette – 500 years of women artists’ written by one of the panellists, Jennifer Higgie. 

Categories: Alumni Senior School