Anna Boghiguian talk at Tate St.Ives Feb 2019

Anna Boghiguian talk at Tate St.Ives, February 2019

Anna Boghiguain and Carolyn Christov-Bakagriev


The artist spoke for 20 mins, fluently and interestingly. She had come to St.Ives and researched re tin and Virginia Woolf, whose 'To the Lighthouse' she described as like a written painting.
Both artists use, memory, imagination, the subconscious, and ideas.

Anna Boghiguian came over as a serious forceful woman who felt the cold, bundled up in coat and scarf, and wasn't preoccupied with

conforming to society's idea of presenting herself as a woman, not having removed her facial hair,

but had her own inner confidance. She looks older than her years, born 1946.

No one mentions that her career was probably aided by a relationship with Robert Shapazian

who opened Gargosian Gallery in Los Angeles but I had seen that online. Afterwards I thought I

could have asked was it particular efforts she made or chance events that advanced her career to

the point where she is shown internationally. (It's envy prompts my concerns and I never get a

helpful answer when I do voice it.)

Carolyn Christov-Bakagriev, Director from Castelli di Rivoli Museum of Contemporary Art, Turin,

spoke next. She spoke of Anna folding history in a Baroque way, putting the present in contact with

the past, not wanting to be seen as an expressionist, experimenting with new materials , not

repeating herself in her work, and using two main methods. These are using sketchbooks, a linear

form, and using cutting, collage. She spoke of the importance of salt, oil and data, of Nietsche, and

of Revolution.

Anne Barlow

Tate director Anne Barlow added remarks and questions followed after the Italian curator had to

leave to catch a train.

Anna Boghiguian spoke of how much she admires and likes crows and feels they are magical and

have a collective consciousness.

She asked in reply to someone was there a back of one's mind? She asserted she wants to think

globally not of Cairo. [I find in the past she produced an illustrated book about Cairo]

The woman who earlier almost inaudibly asked deaf people to request a radio link I think, hovered

diffidently failing to get the microphone to people who had questions.

The talk ended half an hour before the advertised time but Anna B went to the gallery and anyone

could try to get a word with her. 

I return to the gallery, liking most the salt on the floor, the Nimes tableaux of cut out figures and the

piano music playing which turns out to be by Nietsche although not yet labelled as such.

It's a hotchpotch of imagery as if Anna Boghiguian throws herself into it all, working quickly, not

worrying if its intelligible, if the words are legible, if any argument is discernible,. Some of the

drawing is very enjoyably lively.

I am reminded of Keith Tyson's work. he won the Turner prize on 2002 and his work has a similar huge scope, a feeling of interconnectedness. He said he was as confused as the viewer and trying to be authentic.

I would like more clarity.

I would query if flying in and seizing on tin and Virginia Woolf as the most obvious things about

St.Ives to use is that great an idea.

However it's of interest, it continues our director's promotion of women artists, and it's about stuff

that matters in the world so it's a nice change from abstract modernism which continues its hold on

most of the art around the town