Why were the artworks created by artist Paul Gauguin (1848-1903) so radical during his lifetime and important for the art that came next?
How do Gauguin’s artworks help contemporary artists and art historians generate conversations around difficult histories concerning colonialism, race and gender, and allow for the production of new meanings?
Join art historian Fran Herrick and printmaker Helen Higgins to explore Gauguin as artist rebel, focusing on the last decade of his life when he travelled to French Polynesia in the South Pacific to reinvent both his art and arguably his own self-identity.
Explore his paintings, prints, drawings and writings to gain deeper insight into the context and contradictions behind the myth of Gauguin. The Courtauld Collection is particularly strong for Gauguin artworks. We will visit the Prints and Drawings Study Room to focus on Avant et après (Before and after), his final manuscript / manifesto made on the island of Hiva Oa in the Marquesas during the last months of his life.
In the afternoon we will explore Gauguin’s bricolage approach, which consciously combined different narratives and perspectives through a mixture of text, his own artworks, and repurposed images. This will provide inspiration for a practical printmaking session, where you can get involved in creating your own experimental prints.
Key Information
Event: Gauguin: Artist and Rebel
Date: Thursday 20th February 2025
Time: 10:00am – 3:00pm
Location: In-person at The Courtauld Gallery
These workshops are free and open to students attending UK state schools and colleges. Suitable for ages 16-18, with preference given to Y12 students (or equivalent). Booking is essential due to popular demand. Any questions, please email education@courtauld.ac.uk
