Finding the artist: The role of the feminist detective

Abstract

This article considers the ways in which the feminist detective can investigate an artist such as Marion Adnams who is relatively unknown and about whom there has been little public knowledge. It also considers the ways in which arts practice can function as a form of engagement with the artist and the definitions involved in exploring Marion Adnams life and work. The feminist perspective recognises the ways in which particular and traditional art history narratives incorporate women’s art and the ways in which Adnams can be recognised as a both a part of this narrative and exceeding beyond it. The process of constructing a video installation emphasises engagement with Adnams’ work and the extent to which the artwork and the artist can be understood to relate to one another through this process of detection.