Leonora Carrington: The alchemical kitchen.
Item
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Title
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Leonora Carrington: The alchemical kitchen.
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Identifier
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AAI3103077
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identifier
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3103077
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Creator
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Aberth, Susan Louise.
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Contributor
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Adviser: Rose-Carol Washton Long
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Date
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2003
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Language
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English
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Publisher
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City University of New York.
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Subject
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Art History | Religion, General
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Abstract
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This dissertation examines the work of the British-born Mexican Surrealist Leonora Carrington (1917--present), in particular those works that equate the feminine domestic sphere with the magical practices of diverse cultures. It provides the most complete account to date of the artist's life and work, particularly from 1917 to 1942. Chapter One concentrates on Carrington's childhood and adolescence and analyzes previously unpublished artwork dating from 1929 to 1936. Chapter Two traces her artistic training in London (1936--37) and goes on to chronicle her initial involvement with Max Ernst and the Surrealists (1937--38). Previously unpublished student work is analyzed and placed within the context of her later development. Chapter Three chronicles the heyday of her involvement with Surrealism (1938--1942), including her stays in Paris, the village of Saint-Martin-d'Ardeche, and finally New York City. Discussed is her problematic role as muse within Surrealism and how she managed to transform herself from a femme enfant to a femme sorciere. A fresh interpretation is provided of her novella Down Below that recounted her experience of madness while incarcerated at a mental institution in Santander, Spain.;Chapter Four investigates her move to Mexico in 1942 and her insertion into the emigre Surrealist enclave living there, focusing in particular on her relationship with the Spanish painter Remedios Varo. Demonstrated is how at this time Carrington began to incorporate more mythical and occult themes into her work and equated the act of painting to magic. In addition, I explore how Carrington's interest in Celtic lore, the Tarot, astrology, alchemy and the Kabbalah led her to formulate an iconography in which, through an alignment with magic and nature, the feminine domestic realm is made a point of power. Specifically I examine the theme of the dining table laden with food, revealing how, inspired by Mexico's hybrid Catholicism, the artist is able to transform the Catholic notion of the sacramental altar into an alchemical parable. The conclusion provides an enumeration of the many magical arenas she chose to explore, and a summary as to how she developed a hybrid style with which to depict them.
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Type
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dissertation
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Source
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PQT Legacy Restricted.xlsx
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degree
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Ph.D.