Strange Worlds: The Vision of Angela Carter
10 Dec 16 – 19 Mar 17

THIS EXHIBITION HAS NOW FINISHED

Strange Worlds: The Vision of Angela Carter was a major exhibition celebrating the life, work and influences of Angela Carter twenty five years after her death.

In brought together art and literature, exploring the enormous impact of author and journalist Angela Carter – one of the most distinctive literary voices of the last 100 years.

Echoing Carter’s recurring themes of feminism, sexuality and fantasy, the exhibition included historically significant works by Marc Chagall, William Holman Hunt, Paula Rego, Dame Laura Knight, Leonora Carrington and John Bellany, on loan from major national collections.

The exhibition also featured works by major contemporary artists who were either directly influenced by Carter, or who explore themes found throughout her work, including Ana Maria Pacheco’ macabre and unsettling installation, The Banquet, and other works – Alice Maher, Eileen Cooper RA, Tessa Farmer, Nicola Bealing RWA, Marcelle Hanselaar and Lisa Wright RWA.

Delving into the latent meanings of childhood fairytales and the twisted imagery of gothic mysticism, this exhibition pays homage to the dark and compelling drama of Carter’s visual imagination – brutal, surrealist and savage.

The exhibition included painting, sculpture, drawing, installation, printmaking, music and film alongside illustrations from Carter’s books, manuscripts, photographs and personal artefacts that give a fascinating and intimate insight into her life and work.

Strange Worlds: The Vision of Angela Carter was curated by Dr Marie Mulvey-Roberts (UWE), and the artist and writer Fiona Robinson RWA. This exhibition was part of Bristol Festival of Ideas, Bristol 800 – a city-wide festival that celebrates significant Bristol anniversaries along with other commemorative and special events.

Press:

“A visceral, violent and, at times, unpalatable celebration of magic realism and fairyland pornography… Powerful and magnificent” (Anna McNay, Review: Strange Worlds Studio International, 18 January 2017)

“A landmark exhibition” (Belphoebe New, An Interview with The Curators, Culture Calling, 27 January 2017)

“This exhibition pays homage to the dark and compelling drama of Carter’s visual imagination – brutal, surrealist and savage” (Steve Wright, Preview: Strange Worlds, RWA Bristol 24/7, 8 December 2016)

“It has been a long time since I enjoyed an exhibition this much” (Andrea Gibbons, Strange Worlds: A Splendid Celebration of Angela Carter, writingcities.com, 26 February 2017)

Interview with Strange Worlds artist Alice Maher

 


IMAGE: © Ana Maria Pacheco /  Hades II

1998 /  Oil pastels on paper.