Women have been commissioned through Official War Art schemes since the First World War. Many female war artists have also worked independently, offering an unofficial perspective on conflict. Their experiences and treatment have until recently differed significantly from that of their male counterparts, with more limited opportunities to experience the realities of the front line, and less favourable access to commissions. In this context their achievements in creating works of remarkable power, authority and insight deserve to be more widely acknowledged.
Women War Artists explores the remarkable experiences and achievements of female war artists from the First World War to the present day. The importance of women artists as eyewitnesses, participants, commentators and officially commissioned recorders of war is investigated, considering their experiences both in the war zone and at home. Key works by artists such as Anna Airy, Flora Lion, Dame Laura Knight, Evelyn Dunbar, Linda Kitson and Janane Al-Ani are seen through the prism of their creators¿ own reflections and life stories, revealing the unique opportunities and constraints of their roles. While the primary focus is on British artists, the book also looks at the international context of the artists' work, particularly in the increasingly globalised contemporary art scene.
Published in association with the Imperial War Museum
Kathleen Palmer is Head of Art at the Imperial War Museum, where she has worked as a curator since 2001. She previously curated Witness: Women War Artists, a major exhibition at Imperial War Museum North.
