“I didn’t have time to be anyone’s muse . . . I was too busy rebelling against my family and learning to be an artist.”
– Leonora Carrington
In our back gallery, Mary-Anne Martin|Fine Art presents We are not amuse(d), an installation of works by women artists, including Mary Bauermeister, Leonora Carrington, Elena Climent, Isabel De Obaldía, María Izquierdo, Frida Kahlo and Remedios Varo. The works on view span 90 years and include paintings, works on paper, and sculpture, with a focus on Surrealism.
While women were included in the Surrealist movement in the 1930’s and 40’s, they were regarded by the male artists as ideal muses – “femme-enfants” whose perceived innocence and lack of rationality allowed them a closer connection to the world of the subconscious. Rejecting the expectations cast upon them, a group of female artists subverted the Surrealist movement and rejected any dependence on men, asserting themselves as independent artists and achieving lasting recognition. Carrington, Rahon, Tichenor and Varo all eventually settled in Mexico, joining artists such as María Izquierdo and Frida Kahlo who were forging their own path as successful artists in a male-dominated cultural scene.
Also featured are works by contemporary artists Elena Climent and Isabel De Obaldía. From a young age, both artists (both of whose fathers were well known painters) decided to pursue an artistic career. They have both exhibited at mamfa since the 1990’s, and have gained international recognition.
The exhibition will be on view through September 17, alongside Beyond Muralism: Gerzso, Goeritz, and Friedeberg, installed in our front gallery.
In August the gallery is open by appointment. Please contact Emmaline Deihl with any inquiries or to schedule an appointment.
Works on View
