Defining the female artist: Marion Adnams and surrealism

Abstract

Marion Adnams’ work can be placed into different periods and subject matter and curating her work involves making decisions about such criteria. But to what extent are wider grouping useful in defining an artist’s work and does placing Marion Adnams in the context of Surrealism offer any insights into her practice? The relationship of women artists to Surrealism and the female/male dichotomies within the movement will be considered in relation to the ways in which they resonate with motifs and themes within Marion Adnams’ own work. French Surrealism was largely envisaged as a collective movement, encapsulated in its British counterpart in the work of artists such as Nash and Agar, in painting, found objects and poetry, which may provide an understanding of Marion’s individual yet surrealist approach to her work.