“Influence is a powerful word in art, and the line between influencer and the influenced is always thin and tumultuous. But there’s little debate on Helen Chadwick’s impact on 20th century Brit-art, specifically on the Young British Artists, and more generally on the contemporary scene fermenting in late 1980s and ’90s. Chadwick’s oeuvre came to a sudden halt with her unexpected death in 1996 at the age of 42— but renowned artists such as Damien Hirst and Tracey Emin carry her work within theirs. She inspired them not just with her art, but also through her proactive and provocative teaching at art schools such as Chelsea College of Art and Design, Goldsmiths, and the London Institute.
If the measure of good art is longevity and relevance, Chadwick’s exhibition at the Richard Saltoun Gallery in West London this month has both. It’s the first solo show of her works in ten years, and includes a range of 20 photos and sculptures, unleashing her meaty calculations and visceral philosophy of the beautiful and the grotesque…”
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