Taking ancient and prehistoric depictions of women as her starting point, Renee So’s new exhibition at De La Warr Pavilion reimagines historical objects, from a tiled mural based on Nut (the Egyptian goddess of the night) to pre-Columbian figurines of Venus.
Her playful interpretations utilize traditional craft techniques such as weaving, knitting and pottery, which have traditionally been seen as “women’s work”. She seeks to celebrate these forms and upend stereotypical categorization, refusing to submit to the divisive labels of “fine” and “applied” art, not to mention the accepted parameters of the Western canon. She has looked to the Bauhaus in her research—the famous art school that is celebrating its centenary year—exploring both its ideological principles of integrated art, architecture and design and its pervasive sexism.
Renee So: Ancient and Modern, until 12 January 2020, De La Warr Pavilion
