This richly illustrated livestream talk sets the extraordinary work of Ithell Colquhoun within the context of her fascinating life, presented by Dr Richard Shillitoe, who knew her personally.
Ithell Colquhoun (1906-1988) was a restless creative force. In addition to making paintings, collages and constructions, she wrote novels, poetry, short stories and essays. She was also a practicing occultist with a broad and deep knowledge of the esoteric traditions of East and West.
Through her use of automatic painting techniques, dream imagery, ritual and meditation, she worked to bypass conscious control and rational thought to access the deepest layers of the unconscious mind. She saw herself as a channel through which hidden intelligences could communicate.
Spending much of her adult life in the far west of Cornwall, Ithell Colquhoun was largely unknown to all but a small circle of admirers. Today, with greater recognition of the importance of women artists, a disenchantment with science and the realisation that magic is not just a source of potent images but can be a genuinely liberating force, there is rising interest in Ithell Colquhoun.
This livestream talk comes at a moment when many of Ithell Colquhoun's writings have recently been reprinted or published for the first time and her astonishing artworks have been included in recent major exhibitions, including the Creative Spirits exhibition at the College.
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This talk will be recorded. A link to the full video recording will be available for replay to all those who book.
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This talk will be live in our online classroom
All you need to take part is a good internet connection and a computer with a webcam, microphone and Zoom.
On booking this talk, you will receive an email with the Zoom link to access it. Remember to check your spam folder if you don't receive this confirmation email in your inbox.
Please send us a message if you have any questions. We hope you enjoy the talk!
About Dr Richard Shillitoe
Dr Richard Shillitoe is an expert on the life and work of artist & occultist Ithell Colquhoun. He knew her personally and has written and published prolifically on her work. Read more about Richard
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