Casey Kaplan
Ella Walker is recognized in “9 Artists Having a Breakout Moment This Fall,” written by Alina Cohen for Artsy.
British painter Ella Walker adores illustrated manuscripts as well as the exuberant cinema of Federico Fellini: Both influences are obvious in her paintings. These theatrical works depict women in a flattened manner reminiscent of frescoes from European medieval and Renaissance traditions. Her figures wear flowing gowns and pasties, harlequin patterns, and what appear to be yoga pants. They are, in other words, a unique mix of mythical and contemporary themes, a blend of femininity that’s both out of a storybook and making its own rules.
On September 3rd, the artist opened two site-specific commissions at the Courtauld. They take the form of monumental paintings on linen, coated with acrylic dispersion, pigment, chalk, and pencil. One features an artist’s studio with a few off-kilter elements: a dangling fish, women with differing proportions, and figures in various states of dress. Another depicts a group of women gathered around a ladder. Walker’s engagement with Renaissance art continues, and she looks toward the institution’s own holdings for inspiration: a Sandro Botticelli altarpiece, in particular.
The Courtauld presentation marks a major institutional debut for Walker, followed by Casey Kaplan’s third solo show with the artist, slated to open November 5th in New York.
Ella Walker is recognized in “9 Artists Having a Breakout Moment This Fall,” written by Alina Cohen for Artsy.
British painter Ella Walker adores illustrated manuscripts as well as the exuberant cinema of Federico Fellini: Both influences are obvious in her paintings. These theatrical works depict women in a flattened manner reminiscent of frescoes from European medieval and Renaissance traditions. Her figures wear flowing gowns and pasties, harlequin patterns, and what appear to be yoga pants. They are, in other words, a unique mix of mythical and contemporary themes, a blend of femininity that’s both out of a storybook and making its own rules.
On September 3rd, the artist opened two site-specific commissions at the Courtauld. They take the form of monumental paintings on linen, coated with acrylic dispersion, pigment, chalk, and pencil. One features an artist’s studio with a few off-kilter elements: a dangling fish, women with differing proportions, and figures in various states of dress. Another depicts a group of women gathered around a ladder. Walker’s engagement with Renaissance art continues, and she looks toward the institution’s own holdings for inspiration: a Sandro Botticelli altarpiece, in particular.
The Courtauld presentation marks a major institutional debut for Walker, followed by Casey Kaplan’s third solo show with the artist, slated to open November 5th in New York.
For further reading, please visit Artsy’s website.