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Artist

Helen Gorrill

University of Cumbria (Master of Research/BA Hons Contemporary Fine/Applied Arts, First Class / 2011)

Interview

What is your favourite film of all time?

Piero Schivazappa's Femina Ridens/The Frightened Woman (1969) featuring the brilliant Niki de Saint Phalle's vagina dentata

What music are you currently listening to and why?

Kurt Elling - I've just been to see him in Soho at Ronnie Scotts - he was utterly amazing!!

Which living artists do you most admire and why?

Martin Firrell - I was blown away by When the world`s run by fools it`s the duty of intelligence to disobey (projection onto the Houses of Parliament) - this piece changed my life and gave me the guts to stand up for what I believe in.  The first time I saw this, I was in art school and the all-male tutors refused to let me work with issues surrounding gender or feminism.  I walked out and went on to get a First Class elsewhere working with gender/feminist concepts and am so glad I stuck to my guns.  To me,  art school should be about challenging norms, rules and advice, not following like sheep, creating copycat, meaningless work that won't stand the test of time. 

Jim Fitzpatrick - Obviously for the Che Guevera piece.  But he also sent me a lovely email after my work had been in the Guardian, and helped me to believe in myself.  I think the email went along the lines of 'Great art takes an age to be appreciated.  Don't be surprised if not many people like it straight away.  I would like to see it on a bigger stage.'  Made my day: Top bloke!!!

Carolyn Weltman, New York artist who I had the pleasure to spend a day with last year. 

Chad McCail - I hugely admire his work, but he was also the toughest, probably the best life drawing tutor in the world. Big respect!

Tracey Emin - hers was the first exhibition that made me cry (the retrospective in Edinburgh); in particular her work on motherhood and abortion.

Bracha Ettinger for her work on the matrixial borderspace and for being utterly charming as a person.

And all the other amazing artists who collaborated and contributed to my Benedict XVI Confession Chamber, invited to be part of the Elizabeth A Sackler Centre for Feminist Art and archived at the Brooklyn Museum in New York: Alexis Hunter, Alicia Ross, Allyson Mitchell, Angela Kingston, Annie Sprinkle, Bethany Murray, Bob & Roberta Smith, Carolyn Weltman, Catherine Opie, Charles Moffat, Chila Burman, Clare Price, Del la Grace Volcano, Hayden Kays, Jaclyn Santos, Jeff Bienvenido Pena, Jennie Bringaker, Jenny Edbrooke, Jess Larson, Jim Fitzpatrick, Julie Verhoeven, Kate Gilmore, Kate Marshall, Khaled Hafez, Langlands & Bell, Melanie Manchot, Miriam Elia, Nancy Davidson, Paul Kindersley, Peggy Ahwesh, Phil Sayers, Sara Rahbar, Sarah Lederman, Sarah Maple, Susie Vickery, The Guerrilla Girls, Ximena Garrido-Lecca and the Turner prize nominees who wished to remain anonymous.

Which deceased artist do you most admire and why?

Francis Bacon - I was lucky enough to meet him many, many years ago

Which exhibition that you have visited made the greatest impact on you and why?

Elles@pompidou in Paris, curated by Camille Morineau - for consigning to storage nearly all its work by male artists and rehanging its permanent collection to show only female artists.

What is the question you get asked most frequently about your work and how do you answer it?

People are often surprised that I am not very confident as a person as some of my work would suggest  otherwise.

What / who inspired you to be an artist?

Francis Bacon.

Can you tell us about where you make your art and what if any the significance of this location is?

I now have a studio in my home, as I like the option of working day and night if I need to. 

What do you like most about being an artist?

Challenging existing social norms and tackling taboo subjects.

What is your greatest achievement as an artist to date?

Excited beyond belief to being invited by the curator of Brooklyn Museum in New York to have my Benedict XVI Confession Chamber archived in their Elizabeth A Sackler Center for Feminist Art.

What are your plans for the coming year?

I am currently painting with Collage and becoming absolutely obsessed by this medium.

I have got 3 solo shows lined up for the next 3 years, so am working towards those, as well as exhibiting internationally again in the United Arab Emirates and Paris.

Latest artwork - View all by this artist

  • Domestic Goddess ii
    Size(HxWxD):84x59x0cm
    £665.00
  • Domestic Goddess i
    Size(HxWxD):84x59x0cm
    £665.00
  • Otilde
    Size(HxWxD):52.5x52.5x4cm
    £495.00
  • PRINT: The Virgin
    Size(HxWxD):84x39x0cm
    £250.00
  • Urban Collage: Bad Trip
    Size(HxWxD):60x60x1.5cm
    £650.00
  • Urban Collage: Hunee
    Size(HxWxD):60x60x1.5cm
    £650.00
  • Urban Collage: Ibizan Fever
    Size(HxWxD):60x60x1.5cm
    £650.00
  • The assumption of Pope Pius iii
    Size(HxWxD):80x50x0cm
    £250.00
  • Elle, ii (Paris)
    Size(HxWxD):30x22.5x1.5cm
    £195.00
  • Elle, i (Paris)
    Size(HxWxD):52.5x52.5x4.5cm
    £495.00
  • PRINT: Untitled 3 (Deconstruction of...
    Size(HxWxD):84x49x0.1cm
    £250.00
  • PRINT: Untitled 7 (Deconstruction of...
    Size(HxWxD):84x49x0.1cm
    £250.00
  • PRINT: Salome dancing i
    Size(HxWxD):84x49x0.1cm
    £250.00
  • Amalie
    Size(HxWxD):52.5x52.5x4.5cm
    £499.00
  • Aleksandra with child
    Size(HxWxD):52.5x52.5x4.5cm
    £499.00
  • Dana
    Size(HxWxD):52.5x52.5x4.5cm
    £499.00
  • 'Arthur', with Vivienne...
    Size(HxWxD):52.5x52.5x4.5cm
    £499.00
  • Marcia
    Size(HxWxD):52.5x52.5x4.5cm
    £499.00
  • Aleksandra with child
    Size(HxWxD):52.5x52.5x4.5cm
    £499.00
  • Gala
    Size(HxWxD):52.5x52.5x4.5cm
    £499.00
  • Agnes
    Size(HxWxD):52.5x52.5x4.5cm
    £499.00
  • Brigita
    Size(HxWxD):52.5x52.5x4.5cm
    £499.00
  • Sonja
    Size(HxWxD):52.5x52.5x4.5cm
    £499.00
  • Magdalene
    Size(HxWxD):52.5x52.5x4.5cm
    £499.00
  • Zuzana
    Size(HxWxD):52.5x52.5x4.5cm
    £499.00
  • Katarina,
    Size(HxWxD):52.5x52.5x4.5cm
    £499.00
  • Romana en Paris
    Size(HxWxD):52.5x52.5x4.5cm
    £499.00
  • PRINT: Untitled 5 (deconstruction of...
    Size(HxWxD):84x49x0cm
    £250.00
  • PRINT: Salome dancing II
    Size(HxWxD):84x49x0cm
    £250.00
  • PRINT: Untitled 8 (Deconstruction of...
    Size(HxWxD):84x49x0cm
    £250.00
  • Fushe Kosove Sex Cafe Chair
    Size(HxWxD):83x93x74cm
    £2,500.00
  • Synchronised Swimmers
    Size(HxWxD):121x84x5cm
    £1,250.00
  • Salome dancing, ii
    Size(HxWxD):249x0.1x141cm
    £1,195.00
  • PRINT: Salome with the head of St John
    Size(HxWxD):84x49x0cm
    £250.00
  • PRINT: Untitled 6 (Deconstruction of...
    Size(HxWxD):84x49x0cm
    £250.00
  • PRINT: Untitled 4 (Deconstruction of...
    Size(HxWxD):84x49x0cm
    £250.00
  • PRINT: Untitled 2 (deconstruction of...
    Size(HxWxD):84x49x0cm
    £250.00
  • PRINT: Untitled 1 deconstruction of the...
    Size(HxWxD):84x49x0cm
    £250.00
  • The Assumption of Pope Pius IX (ii)
    Size(HxWxD):80x50x0cm
    £250.00
  • The Assumption of Pope Pius IX (i)
    Size(HxWxD):80x50x0cm
    £250.00
  • Benedetto XVI (Gli Amici di Gesu)
    Size(HxWxD):50x70x0.1cm
    £250.00
  • Untitled 7 (Deconstruction of the...
    Size(HxWxD):280x115x0.2cm
    £1,195.00
  • Untitled 4 (Deconstruction of the...
    Size(HxWxD):239x120x1cm
    £1,150.00
  • Untitled 1 deconstruction of the Virgin
    Size(HxWxD):248x120x0.2cm
    £1,195.00
  • Untitled 2 (deconstruction of the...
    Size(HxWxD):215x135x0.2cm
    £1,195.00

Artist's statement

Helen Gorrill’s work is held in private collections worldwide and now included in New York Brooklyn Museum’s Elizabeth A Sackler Center Feminist Art archive, alongside icons The Guerrilla Girls, Tracey Emin, Annie Sprinkle, Miriam Schapiro, Judy Chicago and Pipilotti Rist. Having already gained national and international press attention for her controversial drawings, this year Gorrill has exhibited in London, Paris and Dubai, and has further shows planned in the Middle East and New York later in the year.  In 2011, she was shortlisted for the Cartazini Award in Paris, and in 2012, shortlisted for Passion for Freedom award, with work exhibited at Unit 24 Gallery, adj Tate Modern.  Gorrill's international artist residencies(accomplished/confirmed) include Paris (2011), Isle of Skye (2012), the Czech Republic (2012), Paris (2013), Milan (2013), Naples/Ischia (2013), New York (2013), New York - Brooklyn (2014).
 

 

Exhibitions

The Crypt Gallery, Sweet'Art Collective Show, London

Beetroot Tree Gallery, Helen Gorrill feature artist, Derbyshire

Unit 24 Gallery, Great Guildford St, London, Passion for Freedom 2012, London

The Affordable Art Fair 2012, Battersea

The Affordable Art Fair 2012, Hampstead

Funoon Gallery, United Arab Emirates, Womart #2, Dubai

Crocus Gallery, The Drawing Exhibition, Nottingham

New York: Brooklyn Museum (Elizabeth Sackler Centre), selected for feminist art archive, New York

London's West Bank Gallery, Religionis Violenta, London

The Execution Room, 20:12Collective, London

The Brickyard:  The Happening: Andy Warhol & Velvet Underground multimedia madness, Carlisle

Galerie HorsChamp, Exposition Georges Bataille, Paris

International Centre for Life Museum, Inverventions, Newcastle (with Christine Borland symposium)

DegreeArt Gallery, solo show DEICIDE, London

FineArte Gallery, 21st Century Pin-ups, Bond St London

FineArte Gallery, 21st Century Pin-ups, Paris

FineArte Gallery, 21st Century Pin-ups, Southend on Sea

Axis Arts Centre, Flout, Crewe

The Gallery Stoke Newington, I-Sho: I's She's Her's Our's; London

Business Design Centre, New Designers 2011, London

Faculty of the Arts, Emerge 2011, Carlisle

Salon Contemporary, Artist of the Week debut show, Westbourne Grove, London

Bank Gallery, The Vault 3, Carlisle

The Gallery, Open Your Mind exhibition, Hong Kong

Islington Metal Works, Censored Zine, London

Tempa Tempa at The Griffin, Pincredible exhibition, Carlisle

Centre for Recent Drawing, Box of Desires II, London

Mona House Gallery, The Body Collective II, Morecambe

Northend House Gallery, Enlightenment exhibtion, Milton Keynes

Bank Gallery, First Impressions exhibition, Carlisle

DegreeArt.com, A Crash Course in Phantasy, Vyner Street, London

Low Luckens Organic Resource Centre, Drawings and ink paintings solo show, Cumbria

Mona House Gallery, The Body Collective I, Morecambe

Bank Gallery, Summer Academy Show, Carlisle

APW Gallery NYC, A Postcard says 1000 Words, New York

Faculty of the Arts, The Seven Deadly Sins, Carlisle

Hoopers Department Store, Environment exhibition, Carlisle

Bodhi Gallery, Sex is not the Enemy, London

Caldewgate Fine Art, Morgue Studies, Carlisle

Caldewgate Fine Art, The Draughtsman Fine Art Drawings, Carlisle

Shaddon Mill, Stead McAlpin Creative Travel Award and Burnetts Drawing Award solo, Carlisle

Achievements & Awards

Shortlisted for international artist award Passion for Freedom 2012, selected for The Cartazini Award in Paris 2011, Selected for Saatchi's 'Art We Love' 2011, Awarded Finalist in Artist of the Year by Salon Contemporary Notting Hill London 2011

Recently sold artwork

  • Marbs Mayhem i (postcard series)
    Size(HxWxD):10x15x0cm
  • Urban Collage: Mansworld 6
    Size(HxWxD):50x50x0.5cm
  • Urban Collage: Mansworld 5
    Size(HxWxD):50x50x0.5cm
  • Urban Collage: Mansworld 4
    Size(HxWxD):50x50x0.5cm
  • Urban Collage: Mansworld 3
    Size(HxWxD):50x50x0.5cm
  • Urban Collage: Mansworld 2
    Size(HxWxD):50x50x0.5cm
  • Urban Collage: Mansworld 1
    Size(HxWxD):50x50x0.5cm
  • La Parisienne, ii
    Size(HxWxD):61x43x0cm
  • La Parisienne, i
    Size(HxWxD):61x43x0.1cm
  • PRINT: 'Katarina'
    Size(HxWxD):30x30x0.1cm
  • PRINT: 'Arthur'
    Size(HxWxD):30x30x0.1cm
  • Elissa
    Size(HxWxD):52.5x52.5x4.5cm
  • Lana
    Size(HxWxD):52.5x52.5x4.5cm
  • Otilde, Constructed Female collage
    Size(HxWxD):52.5x52.5x4.5cm
  • Teodora
    Size(HxWxD):52.5x52.5x4.5cm
  • Untitled 8 (Deconstruction of the Virgin)
    Size(HxWxD):276x1x115cm
  • Untitled 3 (Deconstruction of the Virgin)
    Size(HxWxD):259x141x0.2cm
  • The Virgin (Isaiah 7:14)
    Size(HxWxD):256x114x0.2cm
  • Untitled 6 (Deconstruction of the Virgin)
    Size(HxWxD):265x141x0.2cm
  • Salome with the head of St John
    Size(HxWxD):207x119x0.2cm
  • Salome dancing for the head of St John, I
    Size(HxWxD):240x115x0.2cm
  • Benedict XVI Re:bound (Ball Gag Pope)
    Size(HxWxD):30x120x2cm
  • Would he make a Good Wife 1
    Size(HxWxD):120x80x0cm
  • Untitled
    Size(HxWxD):220x120x0cm
  • Selling Olga, Sex Trafficking series 1
    Size(HxWxD):220x0x120cm
  • Whistlejacket
    Size(HxWxD):160x0x160cm
  • Would She
    Size(HxWxD):220x0x160cm