Liselotte Watkins: 3 questions about the upcoming exhibition at CFHILL

Liselotte Watkins/Sigrid Hjertén

In the 90s, she was an immensely influential fashion illustrator, both in Sweden and on the international scene. Since then, through her geometrically constructed paintings and her playful use of colour, Watkins (b. 1971) has come into her own as a tremendously productive generator of peculiar worlds and imagery.The common thread here is women and the worlds they inhabit.

These were also significant themes for expressionist Sigrid Hjertén – whose great influence on Watkins resulted in a TV programme produced earlier this year. The exhibition also includes a number of works by the earlier artist. 

What will you be showing in your new exhibition?
I’m showing paintings for the first time, as well as a new ceramic army of women.

Who are the female characters we see in your new paintings?
They’re my women – It’s almost like I’m painting my own secret society! A confused group of women, who clearly suffer from hubris, but also struggle with different emotional issues.

Sigrid Hjertén’s paintings have been firmly established within the canon by now. Which aspect of her work is the most important to you personally?
I am very influenced by her courage, and by the way she addressed the society she lived in. She represented it with a tonality all of her own, and with such great confidence! She offers an elevated experience of everyday life, and of human relationships.

The exhibition open on 31 August.