Aïcha Mehrez on Lisa Brice

In Episode 07 of The Great Women Artists Podcast, Katy Hessel interviews the amazing Tate Britain curator, Aïcha Mehrez, on one of the GREATEST painters working today, LISA BRICE!!!!

And WOW. You think you know Lisa's phenomenally stunning work filled with women in moments of down-time in their private world? Think again. There are layers upon LAYERS of art historical references that she cannily interweaves that completely DISRUPTS every painting ever seen through the lens of the male gaze. Lisa is a genius and THE painter of our time.

Re-appropriating the likes of Millais' Ophelia, or Vallotton's unnamed woman, Lisa immortalises these dismissed women from art history by giving them life, their own personality, feet to stand on, and often half nude with a cigarette in hand.

We discuss the exhibition Aïcha curated at Tate Britain last year, plus Lisa's South African heritage and ties to Trinidad through the colour blue and its many different meanings. We also fan girl her ability to lure viewers into these private worlds disguised under a thin sheet or curtain, to gaze on these incredibly seductive and surreal women in their private and domestic spaces.

DO NOT MISS the last week of Lisa's phenomenal exhibition at Stephen Friedman Gallery which ends THIS SATURDAY 9 NOVEMBER!

WORKS DISCUSSED IN THIS EPISODE No Bare Back, after Embah, 2017 – https://bit.ly/2PM4KLiBetween This And That, 2017 – https://bit.ly/36z4d5d Midday Drinking Den, after Embah I, 2017 – https://bit.ly/2NItSzFAfter Ophelia, 2018 – https://bit.ly/2PIaSUR

Screen in SFG show https://www.stephenfriedman.com/exhibitions/current/lisa-brice/1569672547_brice_at_sfg_2019_1-jpg

Stephen Friedman Gallery show (until 9 November) https://www.stephenfriedman.com/exhibitions/current/lisa-brice/

Lisa Brice curated by Aïcha Mehrez at Tate Britain https://www.tate.org.uk/whats-on/tate-britain/exhibition/lisa-brice

Further reading Aïcha Mehrez in conversation with Lisa Brice https://www.tate.org.uk/tate-etc/issue-43-summer-2018/lisa-brice-art-now-interview-aicha-mehrez

Thank you for listening!! This episode is sponsored by the National Art Pass/ @artfund https://www.artfund.org/national-art-pass

Follow us: Katy Hessel: @thegreatwomenartists / @katy.hessel Sound editing by @_ellieclifford Artwork by @thisisaliceskinner Music by Ben Wetherfield