In anticipation of International Women’s Day next month, we are excited to announce an exciting new exhibition at the Crypt Gallery titled “The Spirit of Boudicca”.
Boudicca, queen of the Iceni people of Eastern Europe is known for being one of the fiercest female leaders in history. Spurred by the need for revenge for the oppression of the Iceni people by the Roman Empire, Boudicca led a revolt against the Roman’s. Despite the revolts eventual failure, her army destroyed the Roman towns of St Albans, Colchester and London. Boudicca remains to be a symbol of female power and liberation.
The exhibition will take place from 7th to 16th March, and is curated by Lee Sharrock
The featured artists are as follows; Chloe McCarrick, Daisy Campbell, Amy Gardner, Emma Loizides, Eva Yates, Kristjana S Williams, Lauren Baker, Lee Sharrock, Louise Richardson, Lucy Smallbone, Miranda Donovan, Nadine Talalla, Ottilia, Poppy Lennox, Toni Gallagher, Trish Wylie and Yurim Gough.
“My curation of the International Women’s Day AOAP auction is themed around Boudicca, Queen of the ancient British Iceni tribe. Boudica, meaning ‘Victorious Woman’, comes from Brythonic *boudi 'victory, win' and kā meaning 'having’. The brief I gave the artists was to create artworks inspired by Boudicca’s image, spirit or strength, depicting women from history or modern-day Warrior women who continue the fight for gender equality, independence and freedom, or women who have made a contribution to society in a public way, or in a more personal way on a family or friend level. It’s been so inspiring to see how each artist has interpreted the theme, some in abstract and some in more figurative ways.” Curator Lee Sharrock
The featured artists are creating artworks for the exhibition inspired by Boudicca’s image, spirit or strength, depicting women from history of modern-day Warrior women who continue the fight for gender equality, independence and freedom, or women who have contributed to society in a public way, or in a more personal way on a family or friend level.
This exhibition is not just a showcase of immense talent but a celebration of female power throughout the ages.
“Bouddicca’s legacy is a powerful reminder of the impact one determined leader can have, inspiring generations to stand up for their rights and beliefs. Her story teaches us about the enduring power of bravery and the importance of standing up against oppression.” - Chloe McCarrick
“When I was researching Boudicca, I was interested in her, prior to battle, invoking Andraste, the goddess of Victory, in order to guide her in her quest. These works are inspired by this invocation.”- Poppy Lennox
"Queen Boudicca immediately draws my mind to rebellion and triumph and ultimately justice for the greater good. Personally this gives me huge strength to speak my truths and beliefs." - Miranda Donovan
“I was inspired by an article I read in National Geographic. Growing up, my Icelandic Grandfather had a stack of these fascinating journals and I spent hours pouring over the contents. This artwork is a tribute to the female explorers who documented the botanical world before the advent of photography. At a time when men did most of the travelling and exploration, these women defied the norms and expectations of their age and pursued their passion for nature and adventure. A few years ago, I researched two of these remarkable women, Isabella Bird and Marianne North, who faced immense challenges and dangers in exploring and illustrating the flora of different continents. As a woman who grew up in Iceland, a country with a strong tradition of gender equality and female leadership, I wanted to honour these women and their legacy.”- Kristjana S Williams
Since 2019, Art on a Postcard (AOAP) has hosted an auction each International Women's Day (IWD) to support the invaluable work that The Hepatitis C Trust undertakes within women’s prisons. Additionally, AOAP is committed to creating a platform for female identifying artists, who currently represent just 7% of the art world, despite our progressively enlightened times. The 2024 Art on a Postcard International Women’s Day auction will be online from 27th February to 12th March 2024, encompassing International Women's Day on the 8th of March. A joint show, featuring works curated by each invited curator, will be held at a central London location, whilst the Queen Boudicca-themed postcards in the auction curated by Lee Sharrock will be exhibited at the Crypt Gallery in Norwich.
The curator and Norwich School’s Andy Campbell will also donate a percentage of sales from the Art on a Postcard auction to Dawn’s New Horizon, a Norwich-based charity that helps women escape from domestic abuse and start again: https://dawnsnewhorizon.org.uk
