Eileen Agar’s Angel of Anarchy brings together over 150 paintings, drawings, collages, objects and photographs exploring the development of Agar’s kaleidoscopic practice.
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Developed in partnership with London’s Whitechapel Gallery, the exhibition is the largest of Agar’s work to date and features several works never before displayed to the public.
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The exhibition is the largest of Agar’s work to date and features several works never before displayed to the public. Picture: Leeds Art Gallery.
The exhibition is the largest of Agar’s work to date and features several works never before displayed to the public. Picture: Leeds Art Gallery.Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina in 1899 to a Scottish industrialist father and an American biscuit firm heiress mother, Agar was a rebellious child.
With her mother frustrated by her growing interest in art, at the age of just six, Agar was sent to boarding school in England which remained her adopted homeland for the rest of her life.
Helen Little, curator of exhibitions at Leeds Art gallery said:
“Eileen Agar had a fascinating life, and this exhibition draws attention to how her 70-year career coincided with a period of enormous social change. Agar had an uncanny ability to transform the ordinary into the extraordinary and worked independently from established artistic movements to make work that says something about her identity as an artist and woman.
Leeds Art Gallery is the third and final venue for this international touring exhibition. Picture: Leeds Art Gallery.
Having received a traditional art training in London, in 1929 Agar travelled to Paris where she learnt the principles of Cubism and Surrealism and witnessed the period’s artistic revolution.
Struggling to continue making art at the onset of World War II, Agar spent much of this time working for the war effort but after the conflict ended began to focus on more upbeat subjects.
Although she exhibited less internationally after the war, there was a huge resurgence of interest in her work in the 1970s. Agar worked prolifically until her death in 1991.
“Agar often turned the tables on traditional ideas of the artistic muse, creating images that envision a world where gender boundaries are fluid and the structures of patriarchy less rigorously enforced.” Helen added. “This is an exciting moment to think about Agar’s important role in modern art and her important legacy today.”
The important influence of Cubism and Surrealism on Agar’s practice can be seen in several masterpieces that were first seen in the 1936 International Surrealist Exhibition, London where Agar was one of few women to be included.
At the heart of the exhibition are two significant works by Agar from Leeds Art Gallery’s collection; Self Portrait in a Lamp, 1930 and Precious Stones, 1936 and Self Portrait in a Lamp.
Councillor Jonathan Pryor, Leeds City Council’s deputy leader and executive member for economy, said:
“Leeds Art Gallery has established an outstanding reputation for showcasing the work of so many influential and internationally-renowned artists who have left a lasting impact.
“It’s inspiring to see this continuing and for the gallery to once again be exploring the fascinating stories behind these remarkable artworks.”
During the later 1930s Agar drew inspiration from the human body and the natural world, working with found objects including shells, bones, plant life, marine detritus, textiles and feathers to create sculptures and collages.
Leeds Art Gallery is the third and final venue for this international touring exhibition. It runs from now until May 7.
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https://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/news/people/life-and-legacy-of-ground-breaking-artist-explored-in-exhibit-at-leeds-gallery-3571165
