Women and abstract painting

Aims

This course aims to: 

• introduce you to key European women pioneer of abstract painting
   
• enable you to acquire visual analysis skills and the ability to understand paintings in their cultural and historical context
   
• enable you to develop an inclusive understanding of the modernist canon

Content

Women played a central role in the development of European abstract painting. In this course, we will consider the development of abstraction in Europe through the new lens of these women pioneers. Due to the cultural and historical context in which they were working, women artists were often encouraged to embrace those themes and practices considered suitable for their gender. As a result, women pioneers of abstract art drew on a range of media which included textile design, weaving and computer drawing in addition to painting. Inspired by unconventional sources such as botany, geology, biology and spirituality, they developed innovative forms and compositions. In this course, we will see how in their hands, media usually considered as “craft” or “applied art” became key to the development of a new abstract language that would shape the modernist canon.

You will gain insights into the works of Swedish painter Hilma af Klint, British surrealist Eileen Agar, German weaver and printmaker Anni Albers and Hungarian-born computer artist Vera Molnar among others. You will develop the skills to describe and analyse their works across different media, and the ability to relate these to abstract painting. Overall, the aim of this course is to provide you with a more nuanced and inclusive understanding of the modernist canon.

Presentation of the course 

The course will take place in a classroom setting using PowerPoint presentations to show a selection of paintings which we will discuss. You will be encouraged to contribute to classroom discussions by offering opinions and observations.

Course sessions

1. Abstract Art and Nature 
   In this first session, we will consider a selection of works by the Swedish painter Hilma af Klint (1862-1944). Af Klint was a true pioneer who produced some of the very first abstract paintings to shape European modernism. A keen botanist and a mystic, af Klint drew on the natural world to develop a colourful visual universe filled with biomorphic and esoteric shapes.
    
2. Abstract Art and Textile Design 
   In this second session, we will consider the works of women who channelled their creativity through textile design and fashion. Among those, Russian Constructivists Varvara Stepanova (1894-1958) and Liubov Popova (1889-1924) were abstract painters who turned to textile design in an attempt to unite art and everyday life. 
    
3. Abstract Art and the Computer 
   In this third session, we will focus on the work of the French Hungarian-born painter and pioneer of computer art Vera Molnár (1924-2023). We will consider a series of computer-generated works on paper and situate them within the broader context of abstract painting. 
    
4. Abstract Art and the Loom 
   In this fourth session we will consider works by the German artist Anni Albers (1899-1994). A student at the experimental Bauhaus art school, Albers originally used the loom to develop her own abstract language; later, she turned to printmaking, translating her patterns to paper. 
    
5. Abstract Art and the Unconscious 
   In this fifth and last session, we will focus on the work of Argentinian-born British painter and photographer Eileen Agar (1899-1991). One of the few women to be included in the London International Surrealist Exhibition of 1936, Agar developed an artistic idiom inspired by biology and psychoanalysis alike. We will consider how Agar’s interest in the unconscious and the natural world enabled a unique form of surrealist abstraction.

Learning outcomes

You are expected to gain from this series of classroom sessions a greater understanding of the subject and of the core issues and arguments central to the course. 

The learning outcomes for this course are:

• to discover key women pioneers of abstraction in 20th-century Europe
   
• to enable you to acquire visual analysis skills across different media
   
• to gain an understanding of gender-specific social conditions and how these affected 
  artistic production

Required reading

There are no compulsory readings for this course. 

Typical week: Monday to Friday 

Courses run from Monday to Friday. For each week of study, you select a morning (Am) course and an afternoon (Pm) course. The maximum class size is 25 students.   

Courses are complemented by a series of daily plenary lectures, exploring new ideas in a wide range of disciplines. To add to your learning experience, we are also planning additional evening talks and events. 

Evaluation and Academic Credit  

If you are seeking to enhance your own study experience, or earn academic credit from your Cambridge Summer Programme studies at your home institution, you can submit written work for assessment for one or more of your courses.  

Essay questions are set and assessed against the University of Cambridge standard by your Course Director, a list of essay questions can be found in the Course Materials. Essays are submitted two weeks after the end of each course, so those studying for multiple weeks need to plan their time accordingly. There is an evaluation fee of £75 per essay. 

For more information about writing essays see Evaluation and Academic Credit. 

Certificate of attendance 

A certificate of attendance will be sent to you electronically after the programme.