On June 12th I met with Janet to discuss progress on the research paper.
I'm writing about Ithell Colquhoun and how her departure from the central core of The Surrealists provided her with an opportunity to follow her own path artistically and geographically.
It was interesting to ponder on the word 'pilgrimage' and Janet mentioned the entomology of this word, inviting me to really think about its meaning. Did it have a place in the title? What was I really trying to say about Colquhoun by using it.
Janet proposed the word/phrase re-patriation, which I hadn't thought of but of course feels absolutely relevant when describing Colquhoun's life and work. Janet prompted me to open out what it might mean: re patriation of the self geographically, culturally and aesthetically.
Something also touched on (and I'd mentioned in the draft but not in great detail) but a re patriation of the self, away from patriarchal dominance. Colquhoun was in a minority as a female artist during the 1930s and part of a movement, unsurprisingly, dominated by men.
It made me think more about the significance of Colquhoun's geography. Born in India and part of a wealthy colonial family, moving to England but always feeling a sense of her lost Indian roots, sometimes as if a stranger in her own land. Then, seeking her Celtic identity in Cornwall. Could her early re patriation motivated her trying to find where she belonged?
There are signals here to issues of migration and what we mean by belonging to a land.
We discussed how the extraordinary journey that Colquhoun makes could be the new insight.
We also discussed:
Circles - and their symbolism of completion, of home coming
Neuro Science and the somatic/therapeutic aspects of drawing (something I've been looking at but hadn't fully got to with the research paper but which I feel is hugely relevant when arguing Colquhoun being 'two steps ahead' at all times
How to actually write about the art work!
On this, I haven't yet selected the paintings yet - but it was good to know there are some steps to follow and the Tues session we had with Laura Robertson was immensely helpful.