This September, we've had the pleasure of working with a guest curator, Mollie Barnes. Mollie is an Independent Curator based in the south England. Keen to address the gender and equality disparity in the art world, Mollie founded She Curates (@she_curates_) in 2020, a platform aimed at championing the voices and stories of women and queer artists around the world.
Bid in our SHE CURATES X ART ON A POSTCARD AUCTION.
Gemma, AoaP's Director says: "Everyone at Art on a Postcard has really enjoyed working with Mollie, handing over the curating reigns to someone new is always exciting, if not a bit nerve-wracking. Mollie has packed her small auction with so much exciting talent. There are established artists to fabulously interesting emerging talent to an artist who found their oeuvre on Instagram.
Like all new relationships in this age we met Mollie on social media under her moniker She Curates and loved her page. Her passion for art shines out of it and behind the page we were surprised to find such a young curator, newly graduated and bursting with ideas. We hope to collaborate again in the future!"
We sat down with Mollie for a quick-fire Q&A about art and curation!
1. If money wasn’t an issue and you could have any work of art, what would you choose?
A great question, and such a huge question, with so many incredible opportunities! An artist whose work I am really loving at the moment is Rachel Jones. Jones produces these incredible, often large scale, monumental abstract works. They often incorporate mixed media, such as oil pastels on canvas, and from afar remind me of textile pieces.
A historical artist whose work would be a dream to collect would perhaps be a piece from the great Helen Frankenthaler. Perhaps a colourful and lucid work like ‘Fable’.
2. What art movement in history would you most like to have been a part of?
I’m not sure about being a part of it as I certainly couldn’t add anything, but I really love surrealism, particularly Leonora Carrington - an artist who I am eager to learn more and more of - and of course Frida Kahlo’s epic works, although she rejected the surrealist label saying her works reflected reality more than dreams.
3. What iconic exhibition do you wish you had curated?
I wish I had seen Peggy Guggenheim’s 31: Women exhibition in New York. The curation and hanging of these works always excites me. I also wish I had seen Judy Chicago’s The Dinner Party installation.
Rather than wishing to have curated them myself, I enjoy working with inspiration from historical exhibitions, and learning. For example, my May 2021 exhibition with the incredible Daniel Raphael Gallery featured 25 international women and non-binary artists, taken from how Chicago had started The Dinner Party as ‘Twenty-Five Women Who Were Eaten Alive’.
4. Where do you see the art world in the next 5 years?
I’m really hopeful for the art world, and for the incredible people in it. I think we’re going to see some really exciting works, artists and exhibitions come from this strange couple of years. I hope everything will be revitalised, fresh, and more introspective from lessons learnt.
5. Favourite auction from the last year?
Of course, I loved International Women’s Day 2021, featuring so many exciting talents. Art on a Postcard knocks it out the park every time.