Explore, Experience, Learn and Love Women’s Cycles in Art

How do we as both men and women, children and adults understand the rhythms of womanhood? It’s fair to say that most of us have mothers, sisters, aunties and daughters, in our lives, yet how much do we ’emotionally’ understand their lives? A new Exhibition at the Women in Art Fair 2024 explores these themes, alongside the creative journeys and set backs for women artists. Some of the over 100 women involved shared below how they express what they feel, and why it’s important to band together as a group of females to show the work,  and in this particular show over 100 women’s work is on display.  Find out more here in Explore, Experience, Learn and Love Women’s Cycles in Art

New and recent work from international female artist come together creating a power union of female voices exploring intimate and emotive subjects; one that only works from a female perspective. The exhibition invites viewers to connect with both the universal and deeply personal aspects of womanhood.

Together they create a powerful union of female voices. Within the show find Women’s Cycles is a small curated section within the wider fair, where all artists were invited to show by Virginia Damtsa.

“explore the intricate, intimate and powerful rhythms of womanhood”,

Virginia Damtsa,

The show delves into the biological, emotional, psychological and cultural cycles that shape the female experience. From the phases of life to the flow of emotions and cyclical rhythms.

The artists below explore how they feel about being part of a show specifically just for women artists.

Fev Buchanan

“I feel like WIAF is a wonderful way to amplify the voices and visibility of women-identifying artists.  It’s a space where women’s stories can really shine”

‘HOME’ Digital photography, shot in greyscale from a performance done in Edinburgh, Scotland.  Hand-made stoneware ceramic vessel with artist curled up inside. 67 x 55 cm 2024

‘I am an interdisciplinary artist exploring the connection between my body and earth through self-reflection, ceramics, and performance, often reflecting on woman’s bodies and societal expectations’.

Courtenay Kusitor

“By exhibiting diverse and underrepresented female voices, Women in Art Fair plays a crucial role in challenging gender bias and highlighting the contributions of women in the art world”

Surrender, 2022. 85cm h x 60cm w.  Acrylic ink on hand-made cotton. 

Courtenay Kusitor is an abstract artist who draws upon her interest in consciousness to inform her expressionist work. Her distinct intuitive marks and innovative use of materials combine to create both traditional and contemporary abstract art. 

Heloise O’Keeffe

“I feel extremely honoured to be included in this year’s Women in Art Fair. It still amazes me how much of a gender imbalance there is in the art world and how for instance women are still very much underrepresented in galleries. It’s empowering to have initiatives like the Women in Art Fair which give female artists a platform and a voice.”

Annie Pencil and Charcoal on paper 80x65cm

‘So much of my work is centred around redefining the female form and giving women a voice, exploring themes such as empowerment, identity and the self. I am conscious not only as an artist and a woman but also because of my subject matter, that there is still so much to do and so many more conversations to be had. It will always be an integral part of my practice.

Elly Hadjipateras

“I feel that any initiative that promotes women’s art will inspire inclusion, challenge stereotypes and ignite much-needed conversations about how women are so often overlooked in the creative world. WIAF goes a long way towards achieving that goal and will give women the confidence to showcase their creative and artistic talent.”

The Cobweb Crown Oil on Canvas 80 x 60 cm

‘My portraits are based on my emotional connection with my two young adult daughters as well as on memories of a time in my life, at a similar age, which was filled with grief, mental instability and depression’. 

Arina Orlova

“As a woman artist, the Women in Art Fair holds profound significance for me because it provides a much-needed space where female voices are not only heard but celebrated. It’s a powerful platform that challenges the gender imbalance in the art world, giving women like myself the opportunity to showcase our work, connect with others, and contribute to meaningful conversations. Being part of this initiative is a reminder that our stories and perspectives matter.”

‘Tears in the rain: Breakfast at Tiffany’s’ Medium: Acrylic and gold leaf on board Dimensions: 70x50cm

Arina’s work explores modern mythology by blending popular culture, cinema, and religious iconography, using acrylic and gold leaf on canvas, board, and paper to engage viewers on a subconscious level and examine the complex relationship between humans, objects and evolving myths.

Alexandra Moskalenko

‘I am excited to participate in the Women in Art Fair for several reasons: To meet fellow artists, curators and collectors, to gain visibility in one of the key art fairs in London, and to find out if there is such a thing as the ‘female gaze’, or if the preoccupations of female artists are really that different from those of male artists.’

Madonna and Child (Mum and Kid I) oil on fabric and canvas, 125 x 100cm.

Born in Paris, Alexandra Moskalenko comes from a family of painters. Her work celebrates diversity and biodiversity and examines the concepts of displacement, belonging and identity, as well as our relationship with the natural world.

Katya Timoshenko

“The Women in Art Fair is an important initiative because it highlights the diversity of female voices in the art world. It creates a supportive space for women and female-identifying artists to share their stories, challenge norms, and inspire future generations.”

Dream, 2024, etching, 30x39cm

My work focuses on printmaking and painting, often combining different mediums to create thought-provoking, reflective pieces.

Vanessa Hocking-Creek

“Women in Art Fair is such an important initiative because women artists, in contrast to men, are ridiculously under-represented.”

Day Out, 2024 Oil on canvas, linseed oil 55cm x 45cm

‘My work is an artistic representation of life in the present day’.

Emma Tweedie

“WIAF is a unique platform which provides a much-needed opportunity for female artists such as myself to achieve high-level visibility in a world that has previously favoured patriarchal, male-dominated art norms.”

“WIAF has become a real disruptor on the art scene since its inaugural 2023 show. This year, it continues to challenge and reshape traditional patriarchal art norms. Its role is crucial and much needed in today’s contemporary art market.” 

Liquid Acres Mixed Media on Belgian linen 90cm x 120cm  

Emma Tweedie’s highly emotive landscapes explore a narrative based around the power of nature and its effects on human consciousness. Her paintings set out to unlock ancient wisdom, the legacy of places and the unique energies that often reside in landscapes, combined with metaphysical concepts including memory and spirituality.

Ishwarya Ravi 

“To be a part of Women’s Art Fair is to be in a legacy of strong, innovative women who have redefined the boundaries of artistic expression. It’s a chance to inspire and be inspired, to collectively challenge the underrepresentation of women in the art world.”

Celestial Cosmos Series – Element Ignis  Mixed media on Canvas  120x100cm 

My work as an abstract expressionist is driven by a desire to explore emotion, intuition, and movement through spontaneous gestural brushwork. By embracing the unpredictability of abstraction, my aim is to evoke a visceral response in the viewer, inviting them to interpret the work through their own lens of experience and feeling. 

Emily Gibbard

“For generations, we have focused on art by men and it is time to redress that balance – not just for the sake of balance but to understand and appreciate the female experience.”

‘See Me, Hear Me, Touch Me’ at Collect Art Fair 2024, stoneware thrown-and-altered, h.260cm

Emily’s ceramic practice transforms vessels thrown on the potter’s wheel into biomorphic sculptural forms that explore body perception, identity and sexuality.

Joanna Pilarczyk

“The Women in Art Fair is an important initiative because it creates a much-needed platform for gender equality in the art world, something that resonates deeply with my work and values. In a city like London, where male artists often dominate gallery spaces, it’s essential to amplify the voices of women. This fair not only gives us the opportunity to showcase our art but also fosters meaningful connections with other female artists, helping to shape a more inclusive and diverse art community.”

Sunday in the Park oil and acrylic on canvas, 120 x 100, 2023

‘My art celebrates the vibrant diversity of my North London community. I use bold colours and dynamic compositions to explore themes of identity, relationships, and cultural acceptance while capturing intimate and serene moments with my subjects’.

Anna Zekavati

“The Women in Art Fair is an inspiring initiative that highlights and supports the talents of women and female-identifying artists, tackling their under-representation in the art world. I’m eager to be part of this transformative event, as it celebrates diverse creative voices and promotes greater inclusivity in the arts.”

Interrupted Pendulum, 2023 Acrylic on Canvas

My painting titled ‘Interrupted Pendulum’ depicts a woman against a striped background symbolising barriers, with her shut mouth and crossed arms conveying resistance as she embodies a halted pendulum burdened by societal expectations (represented by a barcode).

Lisa Todd

“The Fair is a great opportunity to show a handpicked selection of the best women artists practising today at a beautiful central London public space.”

Sixosa Indaba …Telling Stories, 2024 Glass Beads, 95cm x 70cm

Beaded by hand in South Africa from an original painting 

‘I am an award-winning artist and designer  creating work in a range of different mediums including painting, beadwork, wirework and textiles’.

Stephanie Wright

“The beauty of this show for me is that it is a concentrated and undiluted showing of women artists.”

Earth to Earth, Silkscreen print/acrylic painting, 2024

‘The thread through my art is the exploration of our connection to nature and change’.
 

Rebecca Thorne

“Art and creativity give every individual (male and female) a voice. A glimpse into an inner world that even the artist themselves may not be aware of. There is an enormous amount of power in the collective voices of women. Creativity, collaboration, empathy, acknowledgement and solidarity. I am incredibly excited and privileged to be part of something that embodies all of this.”

“Self-Portrait”, 2024, charcoal, Gesso and texture medium.

‘This piece is part of a series of large charcoal portraits I have been working on, titled Portraits of Trauma.  My work is my voice. A survivor of repeated childhood abuse and loss, I only discovered it two years ago, after 5 decades of just existing. I was a silent child. Now I am literally finding myself through art’. 

Elizabeth Maria Pimental

“Women in Art Fair is an important platform encouraging its members to develop a visual language from our imaginations, perspectives and lived experiences. As a community space, members feel supported being amongst other women with strong voices and open minds, who have stories to tell and whose practices iterate their struggles and joys.”

A Mother’s Right to Work, est. 1975 Black and white 35mm film, Trafalgar Square, London October 2022. From the series, Ghosts in the Machine

‘My expanded social documentary practice focuses on the socio-economic dynamics of the technologies of care and domestic work by making visible the labour involved in social reproduction – whether in the raising of children, in social care or in the nursing profession – as essential to human wellbeing. The work presented at WIAF is part of a series borne out of social protest movements – of people becoming memories through political acts of solidarity and amity that give material presence to this lifetime of labour which disappears with each passing moment’.

Helen Orton

“The shameful lack of evidence of women’s creativity over the centuries when women had to stay at home and make things that no longer exist in the world needs to be redressed. The silence has been deafening but now Women in Art Fair offers an opportunity to showcase themes that are specifically resonant to women and to show the vast depth of women’s creativity.”

To See Oneself is to Recognize Oneself, 2024 Oil on canvas 90 x 60 cm

‘I am a figurative oil painter exploring ideas about observing and being observed with the consciousness of being seen or being looked at without consent and how women perceive themselves compared to how a woman is perceived by others by exploring visual metaphors such as mirrors, reflections and masks’.

Cristina Vercesi

“Women in Art Fair transforms the art world by giving voice to women artists like me, showcasing our visions and celebrating female creativity. It’s a platform where dreams are finally seen and acknowledged.”

“Red” oil on linen 40 X 35 cm

‘Through my work, I blend classical techniques with contemporary expression to create vibrant, dynamic art’.

Louise Bird

‘I believe that the Women in art fair is an important part of the drive to centre women’s voices and creative experiences within a traditionally patriarchal industry. I am especially grateful to be included in this exhibition, highlighting an issue that predominantly effects women: that of a carer.’

‘My recent artworks are a reaction and response to the profound changes I find myself in at this stage of my life’.

As diverse as the women involved, this exhibition offers up a reflection of the huge array of experiences and emotions and at the same time, highlights the superpowers of women’s lives. From singular personal expressions to expansive family relationships from across the globe.

Women in Art Fair is a new show platform dedicated to redressing the gender imbalance in the art industry. WIAF ’s mission is to create a positive global platform from which female artists, curators and gallerists are given an opportunity to show their work and contribute to the developing exchange of ideas around gender, sexuality and culture. 9-12 October 2024
Mall Galleries, The Mall, London SW1 www.womeninartfair.com | @womeninartfairofficial Wednesday 9 October – 10am – 6pm Thursday 10 October – 10am – 7pm Friday 11 October –10am – 6pm Saturday 12 October –10am – 4pm

Tickets and more information is available here at womensartfair.com:

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