Britain's What's On Event Guide
Hélène de Beauvoir: The Woman Destroyed
Kirkman House
12-14 Whitfield Street London W1T 2RF
Fri 7 Mar to Sun 9 Mar, Fri 14 Mar to Sun 16 Mar, Fri 21 Mar to Sun 23 Mar, Fri 28 Mar to Sun 30 Mar
Mon-Thurs: Appointment only Fri-Sun: Free entry to public
Spread the word
About this Event
Hélène de Beauvoir: The Woman Destroyed
Amar Gallery is proud to announce our exhibition Hélène de Beauvoir: The Woman Destroyed, the first ever solo exhibition of Hélène de Beauvoir’s work in London. Often overshadowed by her older sister, the writer Simone de Beauvoir, this exhibition features paintings & works on paper from the 1950s to 1980s. Amar Gallery’s founder, Amar Singh, was recently acknowledged by The Telegraph or consistently discovering overlooked artists and being the first gallerist to show the work of Lynne Drexler in London. The Woman Destroyed is an exhibition which took Singh three years to put together, sourcing works from around the world, meeting patrons of de Beauvoir and discovering how important Hélène de Beauvoir was to her sister and the global feminist movement.
Editor Annalisa Tacoli notes Picasso was an admirer of Hélène’s paintings . Picasso became familiar with de Beauvoir’s work when the artist had her first solo exhibition in Paris in 1936 at Galerie Jacques Bonjean, a gallery cofounded by Christian Dior, who began his career as an art dealer before becoming a fashion powerhouse. Galerie Bonjean also exhibited the work of Picasso, Braque, Dali and much like Hélène even gave Leonor Fini her first solo exhibition.
In Tout compte fait (1972), one of Simone de Beauvoir's autobiographical works, she wrote collaborating with Hélène was something she had longed wished for. In 1967 one hundred and forty-three first edition copies of Simone de Beauvoir’s The Woman Destroyed were published by Gallimard with sixteen etchings by Hélène. First editions of this book are extremely rare, and one copy will be on view at Amar Gallery. This incredibly important book in feminist ideology was the first time the de Beauvoir sisters collaborated together. Publisher Gallimard was afraid that the publication of such 'feminine' literature would give it the mark of a publisher intent on overturning the social order.
The main themes covered in Simone de Beauvoir’s The Woman D
Editor Annalisa Tacoli notes Picasso was an admirer of Hélène’s paintings . Picasso became familiar with de Beauvoir’s work when the artist had her first solo exhibition in Paris in 1936 at Galerie Jacques Bonjean, a gallery cofounded by Christian Dior, who began his career as an art dealer before becoming a fashion powerhouse. Galerie Bonjean also exhibited the work of Picasso, Braque, Dali and much like Hélène even gave Leonor Fini her first solo exhibition.
In Tout compte fait (1972), one of Simone de Beauvoir's autobiographical works, she wrote collaborating with Hélène was something she had longed wished for. In 1967 one hundred and forty-three first edition copies of Simone de Beauvoir’s The Woman Destroyed were published by Gallimard with sixteen etchings by Hélène. First editions of this book are extremely rare, and one copy will be on view at Amar Gallery. This incredibly important book in feminist ideology was the first time the de Beauvoir sisters collaborated together. Publisher Gallimard was afraid that the publication of such 'feminine' literature would give it the mark of a publisher intent on overturning the social order.
The main themes covered in Simone de Beauvoir’s The Woman D