Last week I had the pleasure of travelling down to Cambridge and checking out this wonderful painting by Monica Sjoo (1938 - 2005)! We booked into a nearby Premier Inn and had a few days in and around Cambridge taking in the sights and meeting up with friends. It was a glorious break and for me the highlight of the holiday was seeing this painting, up close.
I had to book online before going (as is normal, in these Covid times) and they were only allowing two visitors to the gallery at a time, which meant our plans to meet up with a friend and walk round the exhibition together were scuppered. It was also a longer walk from the centre of town (where the park and ride bus dropped us off) to Murray Hall University than I anticipated. So if walking is an issue for you and you'd like to see this exhibition too, get a cab or better still drive into the venue itself. There seemed to be plenty of on-site parking. (Ah, the benefit of hindsight!)
This painting was influential in my final major project at Art School. I liked the simplicity of it, it is in no way 'precious' and relies on symbolism to get it's messages across. The work references the myths of women being turned to stone for dancing on the Sabbath. The work is called 'Dancing women, Dancing stones' and I love the way you can see the influence of paleolithic and neolithic sculptures in the work. Also, the way the artist has included spirals and losenge shapes, referencing the work of the great archaologist/anthropologist, Marija Gimbutus who decoded the symbology of neolithic art and identified these symbols of life force.
On closer examination I could see the actual brushwork and this added to my feeling of 'connection' to the artist. She had chosen to work in oils but the final result looks more like acrylics, due to the techniques she's used. I could see the speed which was used to apply the paint and imagined the passion and energy that had gone into this piece. It was encouraging and uplifting to see this piece. I wanted to make more work inspired by this revolutionary artist and spread the word of her Goddess inspired artworks.
There were two pieces by Monica on the corridor of artworks. Both brilliliant, and full of Goddess symbolism. They were hung alongside other famous feminist artists work, so I had the added bonus of seeing some of the names I had become familiar with through my research which included Cindy Sherman and Tracey Emin.
I was particularly interested in the photographs of Tracey Emin's tattoos and her handwritten note, in which she explains why she regrets having them done. It reminded me how much more personal a handwritten document is, how it conveys so much more than a computer generated message.
Perhaps there is a parallel between traditional 'painterly' art and computer generated art? For me, computer generated art is sometimes 'too perfect' and strikes me as cold, controlled, even souless. I am sure some would argue against that. But I like the way you can see the history, brush or pen strokes and texture in something handwritten or hand painted. There is something authentic, which some might call an 'aura' or 'inprint' from the artist or writer. I can't really explain it, but I know this urge to see 'the real thing' and connect with the artists I admire motivates me to seek out exhibitions.
References
Books
Gimbutas, M. (1989) The Language of the Goddess. New York: Harper Collins.
Lippard, L.R. (1983) Overlay: Contemporary Art and the Art of Prehistory. New York, Pantheon Books.
Sjoo, M and Mor, B. (1987) The Great Cosmic Mother: rediscovering the religion of the earth. San Francisco Harper and Row.
Westwood, J. (1985) Albion: A Guide to Legendary Britian. London: Mackays of Chatham Ltd.
Website
New Hall Art Collection (1993) Dancing Women, Dancing Stones by Monica Sjoo [painting]. Available at: https;//www.art.newhall.cam.ac.uk/artist/monica-sjoo/#earth-is-our-mother Accessed 26th January 2021.
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