Underneath - An All-female Group Show

A visually poetic journey through the eyes of the international woman featuring 11 female artists from across the globe

Exhibiting artists include: Swoon, Kit King, Ingrid Baars, Delphine Diallo, Elizabeth Waggett, Meredith Marsone, Lucy Sparrow, Zoe Grace, Teresa Duck, Abi Whitlock and Juliette Clovis.

Lawrence Alkin Gallery presents upcoming group show Underneath, exclusively curated by ArtLeadHER, an organisation dedicated to empowering and celebrating women in art. It features work from eleven international, contemporary female artists at various stages of their careers, highlighting the contributions and dispositions of working female artists in the modern market.

ArtLeadHER has cherry-picked a selection of new and recent works by artists communicating the multitudinous forms of female perspective. Themes of struggle and pain, softness, and a near-constant grappling with visible and invisible power structures are revealed. Underneath demonstrates every woman's journey, lending feeling and understanding to the dynamics and dimensions of feminine energy.

The 15 works range in scale, media, and approach, and include figurative and abstract portraiture, sculpture, photography, and street art. Underneath is a celebration of women, providing a platform for acknowledgment and appreciation.

ArtLeadHER founder, Mashonda Tifrere launched the platform in March 2016 as a dynamic way to showcase, celebrate and bring awareness to the women creating, curating and thriving in the male-dominated art world. She explains:
“After collecting art for 15 years, my enthusiasm for bringing women's work into the forefront of the art world became a priority. The development of ArtLeadHER over the last year has provided female artists with a safe haven to be completely expressive in an open environment and gain the recognition they deserve.”

The London show draws attention to the array of techniques used by artists and various influences from different cultures and experiences. From Ingrid Baars’s unique style of photographic manipulation, to Zoe Grace’s uplifting neon pieces, sources of inspiration are diverse and often deeply personal. Whether a proud acknowledgement of rich, African heritage, to more turbulent experiences with issues such as depression, drug addiction and homelessness, each piece tells a story about its creator.

Sam Rhodes, Lawrence Alkin Gallery Director, says:
“Our gallery roster has always heavily featured female artists, helping champion individuals for their unconventional style and practice and gaining recognition where it’s due. Unfortunately, still to this day, the art world appears skewed towards male artists, so when the opportunity arose for us to collaborate on a showcase of women artists, it signified the realization of an exhibition we’ve long wanted to host.

“The collaboration with ArtleadHER provides the perfect opportunity to emphasize the importance of equal and fair opportunities – male, female, internationally recognized or just starting out. The show brings together great talents from across the world, uniting cultures at a time of division and celebrating beauty in humanity.”

Lawrence Alkin Gallery and ArtleadHER are also hosting a panel on ‘Gender Bias and the Art World’ on Friday 7 April at The Hospital Club, Covent Garden. The panel moderator is Susan Mumford, Founder and CEO of the Association of Women Art Dealers. The discussion will put a spotlight on how gender role stereotypes affect the way individuals perceive artwork when created by male or female artists.

UNDERNEATH runs from Friday 7 April to Saturday 6 May at Lawrence Alkin Gallery, 42 New Compton Street, London, WC2H 8DA @lagalleryart