FLOWERS as feminine subject matter will be explored in a new exhibition at Leamington Art Gallery.
Outgrowing: Flowers and female artists, 1700 – will be opening on Friday January 28 until April 24.
Curated by Jane Simpkiss and Lily Crowther, the exhibition explores the reasons why female artists have so often been associated with flowers, and the tensions and freedoms that arise when considering these artworks and their subject matter.
Works on display include pieces from the gallery’s publicly owned collection as well as loans from major collections such as the Royal Academy, the Courtauld Gallery and the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew. It also features works by local artists and designers.
Eighteenth century still-life paintings and pioneering botanical drawings will be on display alongside intricate Victorian crafts and modern artistic experiments with colour and light.
The exhibition also aims to explore why female artists have been encouraged to focus on flowers rather than other subjects.
And, despite the limitations, how many women made significant, often radical, contributions to art and science through their study of botany.
Others built successful careers at a time when women still struggled for acceptance in the workplace. Yet, flowers continue to be source of inspiration for contemporary female artists.
To go deeper, the gallery has organised a range of adult workshops that tie into the themes of this exhibition – from artist led cyanotype workshops to flower arranging and printing.#
Visit www.warwickdc.gov.uk/royalpumprooms for more information.
