Ithell Colquhoun

The first major exhibition of visionary artist Ithell Colquhoun, and the first major accompanying publication on the artist

One of the most radical artists of her generation, Ithell Colquhoun was an important figure in British Surrealism during the 1930s and 1940s. An innovative writer and practicing occultist, Colquhoun charted her own course, investigating surrealist methods of unconscious picture-making and fearlessly delving into the realms of myth and magic. Colquhoun explored the possibilities of a divine feminine power as a path to personal fulfillment and societal transformation. Her understanding of the world as a connected spiritual cosmos brought her to Cornwall, where she deepened her creative explorations, inspired by the region’s ancient landscape, Celtic traditions, and sacred sites. This landmark exhibition and publication of over 200 artworks and archival materials traces Colquhoun’s evolution from her early student work and engagement with the surrealist movement to her fascination with the intertwining realms of art, sexual identity, ecology, and occultism. It culminates in a room dedicated to Colquhoun’s interpretation of the Taro deck–her most accomplished fusion of her artistic and magical practice. Explore Colquhoun’s enthralling, multilayered universe through writings, drawings, paintings, early theater projects and mural designs, many of which have never been shown publicly before.

Katy Norris is exhibitions and displays curator at Tate St Ives, a researcher and writer specializing in women artists, feminism, and social reform movements in Britain during the early 20th century.