We’re delighted to have another review on the SWARN blog, this time on our much-anticipated webinar ‘Joan Eardley: The Centenary Celebration’. This is just one of the many Eardley100 events taking place over the next year and Jenny MacLeod (SWARN Member and AHRC PhD Researcher at the University of Glasgow) has written up a short review of the day.
Well where to start, this was an absolutely fantastic event. With over 500 attendants this was definitely one of the most popular online events I’ve participated in and little wonder. The varied line-up of contributors including the Hunterian Art Gallery (who were hosting the event), National Galleries of Scotland, Paisley Museum & Art Galleries, Glasgow Museums, to Lyon & Turnbull signaled that many facets of Eardley’s life were to be explored. It was also the first major SWARN event and the fact that it was held on what would have been Eardley’s 100th birthday made the day that extra bit special.
The day was chaired by BBC Arts Correspondent Pauline McLean, and after a lovely introduction from the Director of the Hunterian Steph Scholten, Anne Dalau-Beveridge (Curator of Art) kicked off the proceedings with a rundown of their plans for Eardley100. This included the reappraisal of their Eardley holdings, as well as ongoing research by the Technical Art History Department at the University of Glasgow.
Further curatorial insights were provided by Dr Joanna Meacock (Curator of British Art, Glasgow Museums) who took us through a selection of the 24 artworks in their collection. Her detailed technical analysis of Eardley’s works such as Two Children, offered fascinating insights into her artistic practice.
Similarly, Dr Leila Riszko’s (Assistant Curator in Modern & Contemporary Art at National Galleries of Scotland) discussion with Matilda Hall brought up fascinating stories from when she was asked to catalogue over 650 of Eardley’s works on paper in the 1980s. It was especially interesting to learn how Hall was able to identify certain sequences as she made her way through the drawings.
For me one of the highlights was listening to Nick Curnow Head of Fine Arts at Lyon and Turnbull, discuss Eardley from a commercial perspective. Coming from an auction background myself it was fascinating to hear his views on the role dealers and auctioneers have had and continue to play in Eardley’s position in 20th century British art. Curnow talked us through her appearances on the secondary art market over the years, which became more regular by the 1980s. He explained that her current auction record of £170,000 could likely be explained by major works not appearing on the market as they pass from one generation to the next, rather than a reflection on a lack of interest or demand. While he acknowledged that the market for her work is still contained within the Scottish diaspora, progress is slowly being made as buyers from further afield are beginning to take an interest.
Up next was a fascinating discussion between Dr Victoria Irvine (SWARN Member & Art Curator at Paisley Museum) and Dr Catriona Mcara (Assistant Director of Heritage Collections and Curation at University of St Andrews) surrounding a previously unknown object in Eardley’s oeuvre which is now part of the Paisley Museum collection – a wooden playpen.
Although not intended for exhibition, Irvine asserted this doesn’t detract from its historical significance and instead provides us with a unique insight into her interest in child subjects. Mcara went on to discuss the idea that we can use contemporary feminist language to provide a more nuanced discussion of her work as it relates to childhood while highlighting women illustrators such as Beatrix Potter as inspiration for the painted animals on the playpen. Both Irvine and Mcara’s research was illuminating and demonstrated how it is possible to contextualise her work outside of the traditional art historical canons.
We were then transported to the Lillie Art Gallery in Milnagavie where Jan Patience treated us to a beautiful rendition of Edwin Morgan’s poem based on Eardley’s 1962 oil painting, Flood Tide. It was wonderful to see the painting itself in a gallery setting even if only virtually!
Ruth Impey (Project Lead of Arran Arts Heritage Trail) discussed ‘Tabernacle’, a short film especially commissioned by the Arran Arts Heritage Trail based on excerpts from the play ‘Joan Eardley: A Private View’ (2017). The film itself was absolutely gorgeous, making it easy to immerse yourself in Eardley’s experiences on Arran.
The final session was a discussion between Anne Morrison-Hudson (Joan Eardley’s niece) and Pauline McLean who reflected on the challenges of organising Eardley100 celebrations during the pandemic but acknowledged it has also encouraged collaboration between collections in linking and sharing so many stories.
The day ended on a high with a toast from all the participants. One of the biggest takeaways was the level of passion people feel for Eardley’s work and that there is a real drive to ensure her reputation is acknowledged internationally. Additionally, the emerging research and recent appearances of previously unseen artworks on the secondary art market demonstrates there is so much more still to be learned.
-- Jenny MacLeod, AHRC PhD Researcher, University of Glasgow