A presentation on art, women and feminism, responding to the 2022 Portico Prize winner Sally Morgan's Toto Among the Murderers.

In this event, art historian Sara Riccardi will draw inspiration from some of the themes explored in Morgan’s novel, linking them to British art and women artists in the 1970s and 1980s. The relationship women have with their own bodies, ownership of those bodies, danger and empowerment, sexual identities and gender stereotypes – aspects of these topics can be found in both Toto Among the Murderers and in the “second wave” of feminist art, particularly in body and performance art.

Excerpts from the book and examples of artistic explorations will be paired, opening up a reflection on the relevance of those themes in our experiences today.

This talk will cover themes that some people may find distressing, including sexual and gender-based violence and drug use.

Sara Riccardi is a passionate art historian from Rome but her second home is in the heart of Manchester. Founder of Art Across, Sara promotes visual arts from the past and present in interactive and unexpected ways and is currently researching a PhD at MMU. She is a is one of Northern Soul’s visual arts contributors.

Image Red Women Workshop via LSE Library (Digital)

£6 pre-book here plus booking fee. £8 on door.