Curator, Laura Smith from the Whitechapel Gallery gave a
fantastic talk on the life and works of the surrealist artist Eileen Agar. I
feel embarrassed to say I had never heard of Agar until last week, and what a
shame that is because her art much like her personality is filled with joy, playfulness,
and curiosity. With a career spanning over 70 years, she utilized paint,
collage, photography, sculpture, and fashion to create an exuberant body of
work. A rare female within a male
dominated group of surrealists, against the will of her parents, and in a time
when war loomed over the world, Eileen unwaveringly dedicated her life to her
art.
Eileen Agar, The Autobiography of an Embryo, 1933-4, Tate Modern, London
Agar displayed a fascination with natural forms and organic
matter throughout her oeuvre. Drawn to organic forms for their absence of any
man made overhead or male construct, they posed no threat of deviation to her
own artistic expression. The biodiversity of the sea
served as a great source imagination and ingenuity for Eileen. Often combing the beach for shells, star
fish, and other found objects for her assemblages and imitating the swirling
forms of the ocean in her paintings. The
Autobiography of an Embryo is divided into 4 sections which are the four seasons
or the four stages of the embryo. Within
each section are images of sea life: fish, coral, fossils, and waves of colour;
human silhouettes are created in varying shapes and patterns and a foetus rests
gently in a circle within the first panel. The narrative of the painting is not
implicitly clear without Agar’s explanation, which is a common thread amongst
surrealist artworks. She describes her painting as ‘a celebration of
life, not only a single one, but life in general on this particular and moving
planet.’ (Illustrated Catalogue of Acquisitions 1986-88, p.240) Though Eileen
had not set out to paint in a surrealist style, she simply created things of
interest to her. It was only when Paul Nash, Herbert Read, and Roland Penrose
visited her at her studio in Swanage that they declared her a Surrealist. (Five
Women Painters, Channel 4, 1989) It would seem to me that at this early stage
in her career she may have been going through a stage of contemplation. Eileen made a conscious decision not to have
any children as she felt it would detract from her artistic pursuits. I wonder if this piece was an exploration of her
feelings about motherhood or the lack thereof, a kind of simulation process to
help her confirm that decision. On the other hand, I can look at this piece and
see it as the conception of her life as an artist and the entanglement she felt
with the natural world in which she drew inspiration from.
Eileen Agar, Angel
of Anarchy, 1936-40, Tate Modern, London
Being thrust into the spotlight in 1936 as the only British
woman to be included in the International Surrealist Exhibition was a landmark
moment for Agar. Among the most famous of her pieces in the show was Angel
of Anarchy; made from a plaster cast of her husband Joseph Bard’s head. It
was adorned with decorative feathers from her mother’s hats, surrounded by beads,
shells, and scraps of fabric with haphazard stitching. It was created during a
tumultuous time when the UK was amidst the Second World War. The distinct blindfold
over the eyes is purposefully placed to show that people had become blinded by
the war and blinded by hatred. She wanted it to be a “terrifying but powerful
symbol.” (Five Women Painters, Channel 4, 1989) Her mask can also be seen
through a feminist lens. Agar was surrounded by powerful, influential men who primarily
saw women as nothing more than muses, their value lying only in their outward
appearance. Women, just like in the Angel of Anarchy, have historically
been told to cover up, decorate themselves with accessories and fine fabrics, and
been discouraged to strip back the blindfold, and see the world through their
own eyes. Eileen’s piece poses a challenge to those misogynistic practices and gives
an opportunity to create a dialogue for change.
The works discussed are but a snippet of the vast amount of art
Eileen created until her to death in 1991. She has been a source of inspiration
for many contemporary artists such as Lucy Stein, Allison Katz, Michaela
Yearwood-Dan, and Penny Slinger just to name a few. If I could rewind time, I would love nothing
more than to spend hours with her combing the beach for treasures and joining
in on the hunt for a face in the clouds or a shape in the rocks. If I am
completely honest I’m envious of the freedom she demanded for herself; no
deadlines or outside expectations were able to penetrate or stifle her creative
process. She says, “You must take life
not only seriously but playfully, the more playful you are in your work, the
better it will be”. (Five Women Painters, Channel 4, 1989) It takes a strong
sense of self to know exactly what your passion is and be determined enough to
make that a reality. This self-assurance
coupled with a great artistic talent elevated her to a level of success many
other women artists were unable to achieve.
Details of the exhibition can be found at https://www.whitechapelgallery.org/exhibitions/eileen-agar/
and large collection of her pieces can be viewed online at https://www.redfern-gallery.com/artists/37-eileen-agar-ra/
.
Allmer, Patricia (2009) ‘Angels of Anarchy: Women Artists
and Surrealism’, in. exhibition catalogue, Manchester City Art Gallery,
Manchester 2009, pp.1-24.
Chakrabarty, Sonia. "Eileen Agar". Encyclopedia
Britannica, 27 Nov. 2020, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Eileen-Agar. [Accessed
3 March 2021]
Eileen Agar, The Autobiography of an Embryo 1933–4 https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/agar-the-autobiography-of-an-embryo-t05024
[Accessed 1st March 2021]
Five Women Painters, Eileen Agar, 18:30 07/10/1989, Channel
4, 30 mins. https://learningonscreen.ac.uk/ondemand/index.php/prog/buf64f3a4?bcast=131328020
[Accessed 02 March 2021]
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