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EMMY BRIDGWATER: The Edge of Beyond

Past exhibition
1 December 2022 - 27 January 2023
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Overview
EMMY BRIDGWATER, The Edge of Beyond

“Bridgwater brought a new purity of outlook to British Surrealism, returning to the early days of the movement, to it's “automatic” beginnings in France. The swirling lines, plant forms and vaguely suggestive forms seem to have been exorcised from the deep recesses of the mind.”

- André Breton

On 11 June 1936, the International Surrealist Exhibition opened to crowds in London. Featuring Breton, Dalí, and Duchamp, none were more inspired by this dramatic arrival of Surrealism in Britain than a 30-year-old artist and poet from Birmingham: Emma ‘Emmy’ Bridgwater (b. 1906, Birmingham – d. 1999, Solihull, UK).

 

Invoking the Surrealist principle of juxtaposing unusual objects to reveal uncanny narratives, in her paintings and ink drawings (and latterly collages), viewers are invited into interior worlds; subverted domestic spaces reimagined in claustrophobic terms defined by a symbolic language of birds, eggs and organic forms, used to express her own desires and fears.

 

Bridgwater was an enthusiastic adopter of automatic drawing as a means of accessing and expressing her subconscious. André Breton wrote: “Bridgwater brought a new purity of outlook to British Surrealism, returning to the early days of the movement, to its ‘automatic’ beginnings in France”.

 

Finding allies in artists including Conroy Maddox and John Melville they worked together to establish the Birmingham Surrealist Group, joined latterly by Oscar Mellor and Desmond Morris. Towards the end of the1930s and throughout the 40s, they acted as a collective distinguished by their opposition to a London-based vision of Surrealism, which they saw as inauthentic. In 1947 Breton selected her to be one of just four British Surrealists to be exhibited at the International Surrealist show at Galerie Maeght in Paris. She continues to be exhibited in retrospective Surrealist exhibitions in both public and private galleries in Birmingham, London, Milan and Paris.


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Works
  • EMMY BRIDGWATER Footprints, c.1945 Oil on board 53.3 x 35.6 cm 21 x 14 inches
    EMMY BRIDGWATER
    Footprints, c.1945
    Oil on board
    53.3 x 35.6 cm
    21 x 14 inches
  • EMMY BRIDGWATER The New Worlds, c.1958 Oil on board 26.5 x 77 cm 10 3/8 x 30 1/4 inches
    EMMY BRIDGWATER
    The New Worlds, c.1958
    Oil on board
    26.5 x 77 cm
    10 3/8 x 30 1/4 inches
  • EMMY BRIDGWATER Echoes, c.1958 Oil on board 60.7 x 41 cm 23 7/8 x 16 1/8 inches
    EMMY BRIDGWATER
    Echoes, c.1958
    Oil on board
    60.7 x 41 cm
    23 7/8 x 16 1/8 inches
  • EMMY BRIDGWATER Untitled (smile), c.1942 Watercolour 24 x 30.8 cm 9 1/2 x 12 1/8 inches
    EMMY BRIDGWATER
    Untitled (smile), c.1942
    Watercolour
    24 x 30.8 cm
    9 1/2 x 12 1/8 inches
  • EMMY BRIDGWATER Untitled, c.1940s Gouache on paper 42.5 x 59.2 cm 16 3/4 x 23 1/4 inches
    EMMY BRIDGWATER
    Untitled, c.1940s
    Gouache on paper
    42.5 x 59.2 cm
    16 3/4 x 23 1/4 inches
  • EMMY BRIDGWATER Revelation, c.1940s Gouache on paper 35.5 x 25 cm 14 x 9 7/8 inches
    EMMY BRIDGWATER
    Revelation, c.1940s
    Gouache on paper
    35.5 x 25 cm
    14 x 9 7/8 inches
  • EMMY BRIDGWATER Juxtaposition, c.1939 Pen and ink on paper 17.8 x 24.4 cm 7 x 9 5/8 inches
    EMMY BRIDGWATER
    Juxtaposition, c.1939
    Pen and ink on paper
    17.8 x 24.4 cm
    7 x 9 5/8 inches
  • EMMY BRIDGWATER The End of the Marathon, c.1942 Pen and ink on paper 17.8 x 22.9 cm 7 x 9 inches
    EMMY BRIDGWATER
    The End of the Marathon, c.1942
    Pen and ink on paper
    17.8 x 22.9 cm
    7 x 9 inches
  • EMMY BRIDGWATER The Foundations of Behaviour, c.1940 Pen and ink on paper 15.2 x 23 cm 6 x 9 inches
    EMMY BRIDGWATER
    The Foundations of Behaviour, c.1940
    Pen and ink on paper
    15.2 x 23 cm
    6 x 9 inches
  • EMMY BRIDGWATER Meanings in the Round, c.1939 Pen and ink on paper 17.8 x 22.8 cm 7 x 9 inches
    EMMY BRIDGWATER
    Meanings in the Round, c.1939
    Pen and ink on paper
    17.8 x 22.8 cm
    7 x 9 inches
  • EMMY BRIDGWATER This Way to the Preview, c.1945 Pen and ink on paper 15.2 x 22.8 cm 6 x 9 inches
    EMMY BRIDGWATER
    This Way to the Preview, c.1945
    Pen and ink on paper
    15.2 x 22.8 cm
    6 x 9 inches
  • EMMY BRIDGWATER Part of me lives in the house, c.1939 Pen and ink on paper 17.8 x 24 cm 7 x 9 1/2 inches
    EMMY BRIDGWATER
    Part of me lives in the house, c.1939
    Pen and ink on paper
    17.8 x 24 cm
    7 x 9 1/2 inches
  • EMMY BRIDGWATER Untitled, c.1945 Ink on paper 18.5 x 24.6 cm 7 1/4 x 9 3/4 inches
    EMMY BRIDGWATER
    Untitled, c.1945
    Ink on paper
    18.5 x 24.6 cm
    7 1/4 x 9 3/4 inches
  • EMMY BRIDGWATER Untitled, c.1945 Ink on paper 17.9 x 25.5 cm 7 x 10 inches
    EMMY BRIDGWATER
    Untitled, c.1945
    Ink on paper
    17.9 x 25.5 cm
    7 x 10 inches
  • EMMY BRIDGWATER Untitled, c. 1945 Ink on paper 17.8 x 25.8 cm 7 x 10 1/8 inches
    EMMY BRIDGWATER
    Untitled, c. 1945
    Ink on paper
    17.8 x 25.8 cm
    7 x 10 1/8 inches
  • EMMY BRIDGWATER Untitled, c. 1955 Ink on paper 21.3 x 29.8 cm 8 3/8 x 11 3/4 inches
    EMMY BRIDGWATER
    Untitled, c. 1955
    Ink on paper
    21.3 x 29.8 cm
    8 3/8 x 11 3/4 inches
  • EMMY BRIDGWATER The Debutante, 1955 Ink on paper 23.2 x 20.2 cm 9 1/8 x 8 inches
    EMMY BRIDGWATER
    The Debutante, 1955
    Ink on paper
    23.2 x 20.2 cm
    9 1/8 x 8 inches
  • EMMY BRIDGWATER Untitled, c. 1955 Ink on paper 21 x 29.8 cm 8 1/4 x 11 3/4 inches
    EMMY BRIDGWATER
    Untitled, c. 1955
    Ink on paper
    21 x 29.8 cm
    8 1/4 x 11 3/4 inches
  • EMMY BRIDGWATER Untitled, c. 1947 Ink on paper 17.6 x 25.3 cm 6 7/8 x 10 inches
    EMMY BRIDGWATER
    Untitled, c. 1947
    Ink on paper
    17.6 x 25.3 cm
    6 7/8 x 10 inches
  • EMMY BRIDGWATER Téte à Téte, 1947 Ink on paper 21 x 29.8 cm 8 1/4 x 11 3/4 inches
    EMMY BRIDGWATER
    Téte à Téte, 1947
    Ink on paper
    21 x 29.8 cm
    8 1/4 x 11 3/4 inches
  • EMMY BRIDGWATER Bewitched, c. 1955 Ink on paper 20.2 x 25.1 cm 8 x 9 7/8 inches
    EMMY BRIDGWATER
    Bewitched, c. 1955
    Ink on paper
    20.2 x 25.1 cm
    8 x 9 7/8 inches
  • EMMY BRIDGWATER Untitled, 6 May 1939 Ink on paper 20.5 x 25.6 cm 8 1/8 x 10 1/8 inches
    EMMY BRIDGWATER
    Untitled, 6 May 1939
    Ink on paper
    20.5 x 25.6 cm
    8 1/8 x 10 1/8 inches
  • EMMY BRIDGWATER Untitled, c. 1942 Ink on paper 20.6 x 13 cm 8 1/8 x 5 1/8 inches
    EMMY BRIDGWATER
    Untitled, c. 1942
    Ink on paper
    20.6 x 13 cm
    8 1/8 x 5 1/8 inches
  • EMMY BRIDGWATER Theory of Beauty, 12 June 1942 Ink on paper 20.2 x 12.8 cm 8 x 5 inches
    EMMY BRIDGWATER
    Theory of Beauty, 12 June 1942
    Ink on paper
    20.2 x 12.8 cm
    8 x 5 inches
  • EMMY BRIDGWATER Untitled, c. 1942 Ink on paper 20.5 x 12.8 cm 8 1/8 x 5 inches
    EMMY BRIDGWATER
    Untitled, c. 1942
    Ink on paper
    20.5 x 12.8 cm
    8 1/8 x 5 inches
  • EMMY BRIDGWATER, Untitled, 1942
    EMMY BRIDGWATER, Untitled, 1942
  • EMMY BRIDGWATER Untitled, c.1970s Collage 41.6 x 62.3 cm 16 3/8 x 24 1/2 inches
    EMMY BRIDGWATER
    Untitled, c.1970s
    Collage
    41.6 x 62.3 cm
    16 3/8 x 24 1/2 inches
  • EMMY BRIDGWATER Garden of Pleasure, c.1970s Collage & blue ink 45.5 x 45.5 cm 17 7/8 x 17 7/8 inches
    EMMY BRIDGWATER
    Garden of Pleasure, c.1970s
    Collage & blue ink
    45.5 x 45.5 cm
    17 7/8 x 17 7/8 inches
  • EMMY BRIDGWATER Encounter, c.1970s Collage 51 x 39.7 cm 20 1/8 x 15 5/8 inches
    EMMY BRIDGWATER
    Encounter, c.1970s
    Collage
    51 x 39.7 cm
    20 1/8 x 15 5/8 inches
  • EMMY BRIDGWATER Sea Shore (Broad Campden), c.1970s Collage 40 x 45.5 cm 15 3/4 x 17 7/8 inches
    EMMY BRIDGWATER
    Sea Shore (Broad Campden), c.1970s
    Collage
    40 x 45.5 cm
    15 3/4 x 17 7/8 inches
  • EMMY BRIDGWATER Pebble View, 1944 Collage 30 x 45 cm 11 3/4 x 17 3/4 inches
    EMMY BRIDGWATER
    Pebble View, 1944
    Collage
    30 x 45 cm
    11 3/4 x 17 3/4 inches
Close
Publications
  • EMMY BRIDGWATER

    EMMY BRIDGWATER

    EDGE OF BEYOND The Mayor Gallery, 2022 Read more
Events
  • EMMY BRIDGWATER: ECHOES AND ENCOUNTERS

    EMMY BRIDGWATER: ECHOES AND ENCOUNTERS

    THE PLACE OF FEMALE SYMBOLISM IN BRITISH SURREALISM 11 Jan 2023
    LUCY ORTA, LISA RÜLL AND TOR SCOTT IN CONVERSATION This event is now available to view in full online via the link below or the image above. On the occasion of our current exhibition Emmy Bridgwater: Edge of Beyond we played host to a special talk at the gallery with three art historians and writers who have been heavily involved in the research of Bridgwater and the creation of the show's accompanying publication. Lucy Orta is an artist, writer and family relation of Emmy Bridgwater. Dr. Lisa Rüll is a...
    Read more

Related artist

  • EMMY BRIDGWATER

    EMMY BRIDGWATER

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