Illuminating Women: Photographs by Mayotte Magnus


Nice exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery revisiting a 1977 landmark show at the gallery of photographs of eminent women of the time by Mayotte Magnus.

Magnus photographed the subjects in their own homes following having researched their life and work. Many of them are still eminent figures today such as Joan Bakewell, shown here, and Judi Dench, a cheeky photo of her peeping over a wall. Some of the figures who had died since the show I didn’t know, such as Verity Bargate manager of the Soho Theatre, I plan to look up and find out more about.

The pictures gave an insight ino the character and work of the sitters and I liked the ones, such as the one of Marina Warner, which included objects pertinent to them at the time. Her picture included Chinese figures as she had just written “The Dragon Empress”.

I think my favourite was of Beryl Bainbridge in the wonderful Victorian interior of her house but with a quirky cushion with a pop art head of a mouse on it.

Closes on 24 March 2019

Review
Guardian



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