The exhibition has understandably received a considerable amount of favourable reviews and reassessments of Pauline Boty’s life and work so, as promised, we’ve put together a selection of representative quotes with links to the original articles (please note however – some require a subscription to access or are behind a paywall).
“Art historians now broadly agree that Boty’s work stands alongside the best Pop art of the era – and had she not died at the age of only 28, many believe she was on course to become one of the great artists of her generation.”
“‘Bold, outrageous’: forgotten star of swinging 60s pop art celebrated with London solo show”, Rob Walker, The Observer, 26 November 2023 [link]
“Boty’s paintings revel in the pleasures of consumerism, in the experience of fandom and infatuation, but with a gaze invested with tenderness towards the reciprocal desires of men and women – in sharp contrast to the ironic fetishisation of women found in other Pop art. This rare show brings together key canvases such as Colour Her Gone and With Love to Jean-Paul Belmondo with earlier collages and works in stained-glass.”
“The Top 10 Exhibitions to See in December 2023”, J.J. Charlesworth, ArtReview, 30 November 2023 [link]
“To describe Pauline Boty as a ‘pioneer’ is a bit like calling someone a ‘one-off’. It’s not an adequate description of her in any way.”
“Life in colour: Annie Nightingale remembers Pop art painter Pauline Boty”, The Spectator, 2 December 2023 [link]
“There are only 25 recorded Pop period (1962-66) paintings by Pauline Boty, who encapsulated London’s Swinging Sixties with her blonde bob, black eyeliner and colourful, politically attuned art – and five of them are in a show at Gazelli Art House (until February 24).”
“Pauline Boty in the Limelight”, Melanie Girlis, Financial Times, 14 December 2023 [link]
“A similar desire to explore femininity and attitudes to female bodies can be found in the work of Pauline Boty. A bold new show at Gazelli Art House – the first posthumous solo exhibition in a decade – platforms the life and work of the British writer, painter and actress who co-founded the 1960s Pop art movement. Pauline Boty: A Portrait digs into Boty’s life and work, showcasing her sensual and erotic works that defiantly reasserted a female perspective, parodying classic tropes associated with femininity and depicting male idols as sexualised pinups.”
“A year of culture”, Will Moffitt, Mayfair Times, 1 January 2024 [link]
“‘Boty was a very diverse artist, incorporating collage, lithography, stained glass, painting, and film. Each time, regardless of medium, she would bring in new elements—be it references to pop culture imagery or Victoriana,’ said Gazelli Art House’s Mila Askarova. ‘I think that willingness and ability to experiment, yet still retain a distinctive style, separated her into a league of her own.’”
“Pauline Boty’s Sex-Positive Pop Art Is Having a Moment”, Cath Pound, Artsy, 3 January 2024 [link]
“Boty’s transformation from David Frost’s ‘super bird’ to radical Pop artist with unusual ambitions is complete.”
“Pauline Boty: Pop art’s only female icon laid bare”, Waldemar Januszczak, Sunday Times, 7 January 2024 [link]
“Boty’s art sizzled with wit, wry humour and social commentary. Her practice was diverse, ranging from stained glass to irreverent paintings and collages of icons such as Elvis and Marilyn Monroe, as well as explorations of race riots in America and the Cuban missile crisis. She subverted expectations, painting men like sex symbols and giving her female subjects sexual freedom.”
“Pauline Boty: the dazzling 1960s artist finally having her moment”, Ella Alexander, Harper’s Bazaar, 16 January 2024 [link]
Exhibition details
Pauline Boty: A Portrait
Exhibition dates: 1 December 2023 — 24 February, 2024
Gazelli Art House,
39 Dover Street,
London W1S 4NN
Tel: (+44) 01353 660347
Further information, including additional reviews, is available at the Gazelli Art House website here: [link]
Pauline Boty 