Richard Saltoun

About the Presentation
Richard Saltoun Gallery will present works by four of the most influential women artists working in Rome during the 1960s and 1970s: Bice Lazzari (1900-81), Carla Accardi (1924-2014), Bertina Lopes (1924-2012), and Giulia Napoleone (b. 1934). The exhibition originates from the recent rediscovery of Accardi’s 1961 masterpiece, Omaggio al centenario, a tribute to the 100th anniversary of Italy’s unification. The work exemplifies Accardi’s poetic approach to abstraction, characterized by calligraphic signs and bold color contrasts. Lazzari’s art underwent a profound transformation in the 1960s after she was forced to abandon oil painting because of her failing eyesight. Turning to acrylic and pencil, she developed a restrained, rhythmic form of abstraction that is reminiscent of Agnes Martin. Also on view will be a series of watercolors by Napoleone, reflecting her experimentation with the color blue to create luminous interior landscapes, and abstract pieces by Mozambican-born Lopes, who has been described as the “mother of contemporary African painting.”

About the Gallery
Richard Saltoun Gallery was established in 2012 and is currently based on Dover Street in Mayfair, London. The gallery supports contemporary artists, with a special emphasis on Feminist, Conceptual and Performance artists from the 1960s onwards. The gallery is guided by its focus on rediscovering the work of important yet underrepresented artists. Active on both the primary and secondary market, Richard Saltoun Gallery has established a leading reputation for promoting and exhibiting the work of female artists, including Helena Almeida, Eleanor Antin, Renate Bertlmann, Lili Dujourie, Rose English, Valie Export, Friedl Kubelka, Gina Pane, Penny Slinger, Annegret Soltau and Greta Schödl, amongst others. Additionally, the gallery supports and exhibits artists who have contributed to the fields of Conceptual and Performance art, including Victor Burgin, Bob Law, John Hilliard, (Dom) Sylvester Houédard, Edgardo Antonio Vigo, Ulay, Shelagh Wakely, Marie Yates and more. Until recently, many of these innovative and experimental artists were largely ignored by the broader international art world.

The gallery is dedicated to preserving the legacy of artists through its representation of artist estates, including Helen Chadwick, Henri Chopin, David Hall, Ed Herring, Nigel Henderson, Alexis Hunter, Bob Law, Bice Lazzari, Tony Morgan, Jo Spence, and Shelagh Wakely.