The tag ‘feminist art’ is not one that generally appeals to me. But that’s not to say that I don’t seek out art by women. Generally, I tend to be disheartened by Tate exhibitions on the subject these days, as I find them too mired in angsty polemic. However, for those who prefer a healthy dose of wit with their feminist art, Richard Saltoun Gallery, a tidy space in the heart of Mayfair, is the place to go. Homing in on works by female artists from the 1960s, with a bent towards conceptual and performance pieces, the shows and curation at Richard Saltoun glint with contemporary relevance. The current exhibition, ‘Penny Slinger: Exorcism: Inside Out’, is one of them. Now in its final couple of weeks, there’s still time to see it.
Penny Slinger, Operation Theater (1970-1977)
‘Collage means for me, bringing pieces of reality into a new reality, shaking up the mundane world and allowing access to the inner world of fantasies and dreams,’ says the LA-based English artist of her chosen medium. Indeed, there’s a subversive humour in Penny Slinger’s work, and the fact that it tended to ruffle establishment feathers when she was first producing her collections in the mid-1970s (one of her books was burned by customs officials) only heightens it.
Penny Slinger, Loaves and Fishes (c.1970)
Penny Slinger, Beauty is the Beast (1977)
The Richard Saltoun Gallery exhibition marks the reissue of Slinger's book, An Exorcism: A Photo Romance, an extended version of a previous edition first published in 1977. Now, nearly 50 yearsvlater, this installation seriously heightens the series’ performative roots with its immersive staging.
Wrapping the entire gallery space in images from the original An Exorcism series, it pays homage to Slinger’s 2019 collaboration with Dior's Maria Grazia Chiuri, when the house creative director invited the artist to transform the interior of Dior's fabled 30 Avenue Montaigne HQ into a surrealist fantasy landscape. It served as the backdrop for the autumn-winter 2019-2020 couture show.
Today, Penny Slinger reaffirms the message she sought to portray when the An Exorcism pieces were first shown: 'We have many works that follow “the hero's journey”, she opines. ‘But how many that track that of the heroine? This journey of the embodied soul is not sexist; we all, male and female alike, need to discover who we are. It is like a detective story, in which we, both protagonists and victims, must follow the clues and unravel the plot.' Don't miss it.
‘Penny Slinger: Exorcism: Inside Out’ is at the Richard Saltoun Gallery, London, until 7 September 2024
Penny Slinger's An Exorcism: A Photo Romance is available from Amazon, £49.65
Penny Slinger, Man Eating Bird (1970-1977)
Penny Slinger, Entrance (1977)
-
In 2025, fashion retail had a renaissance. Here’s our favourite store designs of the year2025 was the year that fashion stores ceased to be just about fashion. Through a series of meticulously designed – and innovative – boutiques, brands invited customers to immerse themselves in their aesthetic worlds. Here are some of the best
-
The Wallpaper* team’s travel highlights of the yearA year of travel distilled. Discover the destinations that inspired our editors on and off assignment
-
The architecture of Mexico's RA! draws on cinematic qualities and emotionRA! was founded by Cristóbal Ramírez de Aguilar, Pedro Ramírez de Aguilar and Santiago Sierra, as a multifaceted architecture practice in Mexico City, mixing a cross-disciplinary approach and a constant exchange of ideas
-
Out of office: The Wallpaper* editors’ picks of the weekFar from slowing down for the festive season, the Wallpaper* team is in full swing, hopping from events to openings this week. Sometimes work can feel like play – and we also had time for some festive cocktails and cinematic releases
-
The Barbican is undergoing a huge revamp. Here’s what we knowThe Barbican Centre is set to close in June 2028 for a year as part of a huge restoration plan to future-proof the brutalist Grade II-listed site
-
Out of office: The Wallpaper* editors’ picks of the weekIt’s wet, windy and wintry and, this week, the Wallpaper* team craved moments of escape. We found it in memories of the Mediterranean, flavours of Mexico, and immersions in the worlds of music and art
-
Each mundane object tells a story at Pace’s tribute to the everydayIn a group exhibition, ‘Monument to the Unimportant’, artists give the seemingly insignificant – from discarded clothes to weeds in cracks – a longer look
-
Out of office: The Wallpaper* editors’ picks of the weekThis week, the Wallpaper* team had its finger on the pulse of architecture, interiors and fashion – while also scooping the latest on the Radiohead reunion and London’s buzziest pizza
-
Out of office: The Wallpaper* editors’ picks of the weekIt’s been a week of escapism: daydreams of Ghana sparked by lively local projects, glimpses of Tokyo on nostalgic film rolls, and a charming foray into the heart of Christmas as the festive season kicks off in earnest
-
Wes Anderson at the Design Museum celebrates an obsessive attention to detail‘Wes Anderson: The Archives’ pays tribute to the American film director’s career – expect props and puppets aplenty in this comprehensive London retrospective
-
Meet Eva Helene Pade, the emerging artist redefining figurative paintingPade’s dreamlike figures in a crowd are currently on show at Thaddaeus Ropac London; she tells us about her need ‘to capture movements especially’
