Tracing Her Lines

WORLDING invites you to a day of talks and discussions exploring the lives and work of eighteenth-century women engravers, organised by contemporary artist Anouk Mercier in collaboration with independent art historian and curator Hélène Bremer. This event takes place as part of Anouk’s week-long research residency at WORLDING, an Elephant & Castle-based artist residency and project space in London.

Morning (10am -12pm) OPTIONAL

Visit to the V&A to view the exhibition Lasting Impressions: Women Printmakers 1900 – Now.

Afternoon (2 - 6:30pm)

An afternoon of talks, conversation and shared research between historians, curators and contemporary artists, exploring the life, work and contexts of 18th century women engravers. Artist Anouk Mercier artist in residence at Worlding will present Soft Edit a research project about the editorial decisions taken by 18th century Women Engravers.

This will be followed by a Q&A between Anouk and Dr. Hannah Lyons, curator of collections at Reading University and a specialist in printmaking and eighteenth-century women artists, who will contextualise the period's working environment and practices. Independent art historian and curator Hélène Bremer will close the talks with an outline of the early stages of her research on the work of Laura Piranesi, alongside her ideas for an exhibition exploring connections between women artists of the 18th century and women artists working today.

The afternoon will conclude with a round table discussion led by ceramic artist and curator Matt Smith between contemporary artists, curators and historians on collaborative approaches to research and dissemination, and the unique role contemporary artists and creative practices can play in researching, recovering and reinstating forgotten or undervalued historical narratives. The conversation will draw on examples from the 2022 For the Love of the Master exhibition, commissioned in Dublin by the Office of Public Works (OPW).

Evening (7pm)

Dinner

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@hannahmarylyons

@hbartconsultancy

@mattsmithart

@worldingproject