Claudette Johnson: Presence

Beautiful exhibition at the Courtauld Gallery of work by contemporary artist Claudette Johnson.

The first room showed her signature large figurative drawings of Black women including self-portraits. The draftsmanship was stunning. I loved a trilogy of pictures.

The second room moved into more recent pieces in pastel and gouache. At the core are stunning drawings set against colourful yet simple abstract backgrounds. I loved the contrast of the defined drawing and loose brushwork.

My favourite, Blues Dance, had been done for the show and showed a woman dancing, completely absorbed in the moment.

Closes 14 January 2024


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