Strange Worlds: The Vision of Angela Carter

“The artwork for the book is exquisite, and the essays do justice to Angela. The editors have done a superb job” Jack Zipes

Strange Worlds celebrates the life and work of the hugely influential writer Angela Carter (1940–1992), 25 years after her death, and accompanies a major exhibition of the same name at the RWA (Royal West of England Academy), Bristol. Bringing together art and literature, Strange Worlds explores Carter’s recurring themes of feminism, sexuality and fantasy, through historically significant art works by Marc Chagall, William Holman Hunt, Dame Laura Knight, Leonora Carrington and John Bellany. These historical works sit alongside work by major contemporary artists including Ana Maria Pacheco, Eileen Cooper, Paula Rego and Alice Maher revealing the extent to which Angela Carter’s ideas have indirectly but profoundly influenced twenty-first century culture.

Curator Fiona Robinson provides a fascinating insight into the process of selecting work for the publication’s accompanying exhibition, along with texts and quotations from exhibiting contemporary artists, which provide further evidence of Carter’s far-reaching influence.

Co-curator Marie Mulvey-Roberts discusses in detail a number of historic artworks that influenced Carter’s writing, including works shown in the exhibition. The book also contains reminiscences of those who knew and worked with Carter including close friends Christopher Frayling, Marina Warner, Christine Molan and her publisher, Carmen Callil (founder of Virago) each of whom offers a personal insight into Carter’s unique – and strange – vision of the world.

At the London book launch of catalogue at Waterstones, Piccadilly on Wednesday 18 January curators Marie Mulvey-Roberts (UWE) and Fiona Robinson RWA spoke about their collaboration.

 


COVER IMAGE: © Nicola Bealing (RWA)

The Misfits / Oil on linen / 2014