'Ithell Colquhoun, Surrealism and the Occult', 
Papers of Surrealism, Issue 9 (Summer 2011)

Papers of Surrealism, 2011

Victoria Ferentinou


The work of the British artist Ithell Colquhoun has been comparatively overlooked. Only in the last few years have a few publications appeared. This paper adds to these studies by reviewing Colquhoun's negotiation of surrealism and the occult and by exploring the impact that this twofold affiliation had upon her oeuvre. It lays particular emphasis on Colquhoun's revisionist tactics and her use of the occult as a site for personal enlightenment and reaffirmation as a woman artist. The discussion centres on Colquhoun's interest in androgyny, a hermetic motif also employed by the surrealists. The paper addresses Colquhoun's esoteric and feminist appropriation of the concept, delineates her trajectory as an artist and sheds light on the development of her mystical vision.

Issue: 9
Page Numbers: 1-24
Publication Date: 2011

Publication Name: Papers of Surrealism