There is a total of 32 artists, 3 of of which are still alive today, from the 20th century also from a variety of countries, Mexico, United States, Mexico, Uk, Etc. There are 150 artworks, which include paintings, sculpture, photography and a collection of surreal 'objects'. The exhibit is broken up into Portrait/Self Portrait, Landscape, Interior, Still Life and Fantasy. The portrait and self portrait offering a unique opportunity to see pictures and photographs of the actual artists, making the whole show feel much more personal.
"The Exquisite Corpse Drinks The New Wine."
The title of the show is derived from the first piece of work you are confronted with upon walking in which is Eileen Agar's 'Angel of Anarchy'.
The opposing nature of the words a fitting name for the shows artists and work.
From the moment you walk into the show you are encountered by large surreal shaped walls covered by a lush red velvet which gives the small sense of regality and vulnerability. The dark softness of the shade giving a air of some softly violent themes a fitting introduction to the nature of the exhibit. Money well spent on creating atmosphere. Though their budget was not entirely spent upon interior decorating, their main crux of funds being imputed into the transport for the work to the gallery. The works are thoughtfully broken up into their respective themes and broken apart by a number of walls and glass cabinets filled with books made by the artists. But before they could even display a number of the works they themselves had to carry out some major restorations as a lot of the works have come from private collections who have not taken great care of their great works of art. Some works even contain mysteries to both us and the curators, one of the curators favourite pieces being that of a Leonora Carrington's, Self-portrait (White Horse Inn),1936. Which in its centre left has a mysterious smudge we cannot determine if its a purpose made mark or not.
Many of the female artist's included in this shows were influenced by one another, many of them were close friends. A few of these artist's expressed some displeasure about being in an all woman show, or some of them wouldn't be too pleased about it were they with us today. The show aims, and somewhat achieves, showing the hidden side of surrealist work by the women of the surrealist movement, though you cannot deny the influence of the male counterparts and peers, especially of Magritte who you can see reminiscent in many of the landscape works. Particularly that of Jane Graverol's L’Esprit saint [The Holy Spirit], 1965.
Oil on canvas
The characters of the artist's and their work form a strong mould between the viewing of piece to piece, without knowledge of who made these one could say they were made by perhaps one or two individuals working together, their work carrying along various motifs and themes including of which the flip-side to traditional stories, decay, subversion, the sphinx, death, disintegration, blurring reality, sinister, oppressive, claustrophobia, illusion, myth and magic, folk lore to name but a few. The artist's themselves being very linked personality wise, a small number committing suicide at and early stage of their lives, a major time of work for the artist's were during the "free love" and Bohemian lifestyles.
A fitting penultimate piece to the show is that of collaborative work which at the time of making were simple games carried out by the artist's. This is the game Exquisite corpses, in which players draw in turn on a sheet of paper, fold it to conceal part of the drawing, and then pass it to the next player to further this drawing in their own style unbeknown to the others as to what they are drawing until they reach the end of the paper. works of art in their own right but a very personal insight into the social and relaxed lives of the artist's and their peers in the surrealist movement.
The final piece of work brings it all together and surmises the exhibition in its entirely and ends the journey through the surreal path you've just been walked along. It is another of Eileen Agar's work, the Angel of Anarchy being the starting point of the exhibition her work the Angel of Mercy ends the show, allowing you to pass to go on back to the real world, the empty judgmental eyes reserving judgement on your choice to lead a life of beige ordinary everyday. You will leave the show feeling grateful for the sights you've seen and the concepts beyond that of the world we know and understand. A rejuvenation of the imagination to see the world in a 'different' way.
