Every day bisexual people face resistance towards the notion of their own sexual orientation. Not only do they struggle with homophobia and hostility towards the LGBTQ community, but they must also deal with what is known as bisexual erasure. Bisexual erasure otherwise known as bisexual invisibility is the tendency for non-bisexual identifying people to remove or ignore any evidence of bisexuality throughout history, in modern media and even in daily life. Bisexual erasure can often get to the point where the existence of bisexual people is forcefully denied. Imagine, a young girl who has struggled with her sexuality finally becomes comfortable identifying as bisexual just to be told that sh
On the 5th March The Courtauldian published online the article ‘Artists’ Lives: Speaking of the Kasmin Gallery’. The accompanying illustration for this article included a number of works by the artist Robyn Denny which had been manipulated for inclusion in the illustration. The editorial team would like to unreservedly apologise for our unlicensed use of this artist’s works in a way that was deemed inappropriate by his family. As a result of this situation, The Courtauldian constitution will include strict guidelines on the appropriate use of artworks for illustrations that will govern any future publications.
Karina Akopyan with her work Big Samovar Orgy at the exhibition opening - photo credit: Bojidar Chkorev Russian artist Karina Akopyan had her first solo exhibition - entitled Martyrs & Matryoshkas - at the Old Truman Brewery last December. Her work is a curious and alluring blend of her strict Russian Orthodox heritage and the escapism of the London fetish scene, and seems to find more similarities between the two themes than it does differences. Karina's work brings up questions around tradition, ritual, religion, patriotism, and sexuality, all of which she is always sure to leave unanswered: "why do you need to do all the work for the viewer? I think it's much more fun to let people find t
Painting by Elly Stephenson If the ‘male gaze’ is a term used to describe the relationship between male viewer and a female object, surely the ‘female gaze’ can be used to describe the opposite? John Berger in his book and television series ‘Ways of Seeing’ looks at the female nude as an object: “to be naked is to be oneself, to be nude, is to be seen naked by others and yet not be recognized as oneself, thus the nude has to be seen as an object”. He goes on to explain the origins of the perception of a female as an object in art. In some of the most famous classical depictions of women, they are seen shying away under drapery, such as the Statue of Venus (the Mazarin Venus) 100
When fiction attempts to incorporate art and artists, it can often end badly. Descriptions of the act of creating can read like bad erotica, or pages of too much art historical detail disrupt the flow of the story. Both feel like the author is showing off how much research they have done; they’ve read some Gombrich or have sat in an artist’s studio for a day, hovering at their elbow. So when two books come along that do it right, I rejoice. This is no surprise for readers of Ali Smith, but The Muse is an unexpected joy. The two are very different but both explore the impact art can have in one’s life, why one creates, and the role art history has in society. Autumn is the first in a quartet
Illustration by Anna Seibæk Torp-Pedersen The current Giselle at the London Coliseum is a revival of Mary Skeaping’s traditional production, restoring the ballet’s 1841 roots and emphasising its Romantic style. The story is based around Giselle, a peasant girl who is romantically betrayed by Albrecht, the aristocrat in disguise. This betrayal leads her to go mad and die of heartbreak in the first act. The second half sees her rise as a ghost, joining the vengeful Willis who forces men to dance to their death. The production features the ethereal Alina Cojocaru as the fragile heroine. The fine boned dancer is the centrepiece of the show; the audience is enchanted by her floating across the st
Illustration by Emily Knapp When I was asked to write an article about Woody Allen for the paper following my showing of the maestro’s ‘Stardust Memories’ at Film Society, I have to confess the task seemed like an alluring yet overtly poisoned chalice. Even the name seems to have become bracketed with those of Mephistopheles and Beetlejuice where if one says them too often, they might just pop out of the ether and corrupt your soul. Of course, Woody Allen isn’t a malevolent ghoul but a human being. A flawed human being, certainly [and this article would like to get as far away from the maelstrom of that court case as quickly as possible], but nonetheless one of the most visionary and interes
Black room. Swirling patterns descend from overhead, surrounding, enveloping. Birds of light perch on branches. Suddenly they take off. I chase after them through space. The trails are bathed in light, now purple, now green. Florae emerge where the light trails remain, rays forming and dissolving into complex patterns. Then a great explosion. Gigantic flowers blossom in mid space. I am no longer in the human realm. I am one with the cosmos, at one with birds and flowers. The mastermind behind my interstellar journey at the Mori museum in Tokyo this summer is the ultra-technological art collective known as teamLab. Founded in 2001 in Tokyo by Toshiyuki Inoko, the group defines itself as a tea
Illustration by Anna Seibæk Torp-Pedersen With the recent passing of Richard Adams, an author, father and service man, I wanted to bring to your attention a much loved classic that is often forgotten, Watership Down. Generally considered a dark children’s novel, it tells the tale of a young rabbit, Fiver, and his adventures all through the warren. Fiver has the ability to sense when something terrible is going to happen, so when he worries for the warren’s safety he sets off on his own journey with a group of fellow rabbits. The group’s adventure tests their loyalty and strength. Although Adams tells a story about rabbits, the characters and their difficulties are relatable and real; I be
Firstly, happy International Women’s Day! Secondly, before you ask, International Men’s Day in on the 19th of November. Today is also the day when the Baileys Women’s Prize for Fiction announce their longlist, which this year comprises of sixteen titles rather than the usual twenty. This is apparently due to the prize organisers deciding that more attention for fewer books would be better, despite the judges arguing for the full twenty titles as the calibre of books by women this past year has been outstanding. There have been some surprises as several titles that were considered guaranteed to be on the list were excluded, such as Autumn by Ali Smith (if you’ve read this, I’m sure you’ll und
City of Hope, Mehdi Ghayanloo (Image courtesy of the Howard Griffin Gallery) Having just finished a solo show with the Howard Griffin Gallery, Iranian Artist Mehdi Ghadyanloo will be visiting the Courtauld Institute to discuss his work: 7pm, Kenneth Clark Lecture Theatre, Thursday the 9th of March. REVIEW: SPACES OF HOPE Originally shown from 2nd until the 5th of March, Spaces of Hope was an off-site exhibition by the Howard Griffin Gallery. Held in the University of Westminster’s Ambika P3 gallery, it showcased the recent installation, canvases, and etchings of Mehdi Ghadyanloo. As I approached the unconventional gallery space, having wound my way through an assortment of industrial spaces,
One school of thought is that galleries should let the art do the talking. Aside from the often bland voice of the institution, nothing can rile more than interpretation that leaves no space for original thought or reaction. Therefore, it might seem odd that Tate Britain’s latest BP Spotlight exhibition, Artist’s Lives: Speaking of the Kasmin Gallery focuses not so much on the art displayed, but the narrative surrounding its conception and consumption. Except it’s not Tate doing the talking. The British Library’s National Life Stories: Artists’ Lives project began in 1990 with the aim of collecting an oral history of British art. Since then the project has amassed hundreds of hours of in-dep
Illustration by Brittany Richmond Picture the scene. Princess Margaret, the Queen's glamorous sister, in nothing but a sparkling tiara, soaking in a tub of hot water in conversation with her husband. Snap! Immortalised. The oft-Instagrammed image of the late Lord Snowdon’s most significant subject is one of many iconic photographs of theatre, fashion and society figures, captured in his Pimlico studio. Damien Hirst in a goldfish bowl; a gap-toothed Laurence Olivier sneering beneath thick eyebrows; a corseted Helen Mirren framed by light bulbs in the dressing room; Marlene Dietrich in a cloud of smoke. Young Tony Armstrong-Jones’ interest in photography was initiated by working aged 7 or 8 fo
Illustration by Anna Seibæk Torp-Pedersen I rarely like to watch films that don't promise to have me gasping for air with laughter, or that don't induce a wrinkled frown of intrigue (the only time my eyebrows ever unite) but ‘Manchester by The Sea’ stood out for its unapologetic starkness. I went with mum (we all do it, it means a free meal and overpriced cinema ticket), whose main reasoning for seeing the film was the protagonist, being the brother of universal heart-throb hunk Ben Affleck. I won't deny that was also a good reason enough for me. And so, we sat, and were met with otherworldly scenes - indicative of its Oscar nomination for best picture- depicting glorious snow-capped mounta