The perception of the muse is that of a passive, powerless female model. She’s probably taken her clothes off and is reclining submissively for an […]
10 must-read feminist art books
Traditionally, far too many women have been overlooked, ignored and airbrushed out of art history. Most people will have heard of Henri Matisse and Andre […]
Review | Birmingham Royal Ballet’s ‘The Nutcracker’: an immersive fairy tale for today
It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas, particularly at Birmingham Hippodrome. Since moving to the city 5 years ago, Birmingham Royal Ballet’s ‘The Nutcracker’ […]
Artist Ashton Attzs commissioned by B:Music
I am excited to share this first look at brand-new artwork by Ashton Attzs, recently commissioned by B:Music! Attzs’s joyful illustration celebrates the return of […]
‘Muse’: Uncovering 30 real-life artist-muse relationships
What are artist-muse relationships really like? Today, our concept of them is one of the (art) world’s greatest clichés. The muse is a young, attractive […]
Paul Biddle: The Museum as Muse
Automata, mesmerising moth-women and swan sisters all exist in the magical world of Paul Biddle’s surreal photographs. Biddle’s main inspiration comes from museums and the […]
First look at Birmingham’s Lux Gallery
This weekend, I went to check out Birmingham’s newest gallery, Lux Gallery. A 15-minute walk from Birmingham city centre, this independent gallery has opened in […]
Caroline Walker Shines a Light on Women’s Work
Caroline Walker (b. 1982, Scotland) paints striking portraits of the unseen female workforce: chambermaids, waitresses, tailors, hairdressers and nail technicians. ‘Women’s Work’ at MAC is her […]
10 Contemporary Artists Who Celebrate Queerness
“Queer” is a deliberately difficult term to define, as the very meaning of it is to blur categories and challenge norms. Broadly speaking, the label […]
Men Behaving Badly | Can we separate art from artist?
Yesterday I read an article titled ‘Tributes to Diego Maradona show how easily violence against women is ignored’. In it, Joan Smith points out that […]