This Friday [March 20] the artist, Wendy Elia RWA, will be talking alongside a selection of her significant works to detain the Milking Parlour Gallery between 6-8pm*.
Wendy, who has been shortlisted for the National Portrait Gallery’s Annual award 4 times, has exhibited and taught widely in London and the is her first major show in the South West.
“When Wendy Elia paints a person they don’t look away’ – Laura Bushell
Wendy works in series which explore the social and broader contexts of our times. In her portrait work she confronts our voyeurism and asks questions about the female gaze and painting’s relationship to authenticity and illusion. Elia moves from the personal to the political not only in the range of content and form in the various series, but also within individual paintings: using a range of pictorial symbols and signifiers to extend the meaning/narrative of the works. She trained at St Martins School of Art, London and has exhibited widely being a finalist in a number of national and international competitions [including 4 times at the National Portrait Gallery] as well as The Sovereign European Art Prize, and The Threadneedle Prize. Her work is also held in a number of public permanent art collections across the country.
In 2012 she was commissioned by Sherborne House Arts and B-side (funded by the arts council) to paint a portrait of a local sports person as part of the cultural Olympiad in Weymouth and Portland.
*PLEASE NOTE: This event will take place, in line with current PHE guidelines [Public Health England] unless these change beforehand. Measures will be in place on admittance to mitigate the spread of infection, please attend responsibly.