There were literally dozens of options for today’s helping, because I had the good fortune to see the Women in Abstraction exhibition at the Pompidou Centre. And it was extraordinary. Over 50 exhibition rooms, all filled with artists from around the world. And every single one of them a woman. Since abstract art is not my forte, I had previous knowledge of only about one or two. The rest were a discovery; room after room of amazing discoveries. Some of the artwork was incredible. Some of it was… interesting. As abstract art tends to be. But my favourite by far was actually found in the very first room where the works of Georgiana Houghton were displayed.
Georgiana Houghton was a British spiritualist artist in the 19th century, meaning her artwork was guided by spirits and archangels. At least, that’s what she claimed. The spiritualist art movement of the 19th century was actually relatively mainstream, but I will let you decide whether or not you believe their claims of divine inspiration. Regardless of whether or not a spirit called Lenny actually guided her hand, I adored all the pieces by Houghton that were on display. I may not know much about abstract art, but I’ve always loved it. And there was something about the swirls and colours of her work that were mesmerizing.
Overall, the Women in Abstraction exhibition as a whole was incredible. It gave a lot of previously overlooked artists their due, and explained the many ways the abstract movement influenced all mediums of art. I came out very much on a museum high, and I loved every second of it.
Suggestions for artists I should check out? Please contact me with your ideas. I hope you enjoyed your daily helping of art!
