Huda Lutfi

Egyptian artist Huda Lutfi’s practice is greatly informed by her career as a cultural historian, and is concerned specifically with the investigation of how cultural remnants, history, traditions and bricolage relate to the contemporary moment. Lutfi works in painting, collage and installation, employs political insignia and slogans, and borrows from traditional styles ranging from Islamic to the pharaonic. Often, Lutfi uses deconstructed, fragmented mannequins in her work, representing the lack of value ascribed to certain bodies, and symbolising commercialism, excess and waste. In recent works, the artist has embroidered jagged lines of stitching onto a mannequin’s torso, a traditionally feminine, gentile form of craftsmanship that, in the case of Lutfi’s work, is almost disconcerting in its jagged entanglement. ...

Founded in 2012, Richard Saltoun Gallery specialises in contemporary art, with an emphasis on feminist, conceptual and performance artists from the 1960s onwards. It is guided by a strong focus on rediscovering the work of important yet under-recognised artists through presentations at both its locations, online exhibitions, events and participation in art fairs around the world. Since its inception, Richard Saltoun Gallery has been driven by an interest in serving a wider purpose and is now recognised for its critically and socially-engaged programme. In 2019, the gallery launched a year-long initiative titled 100% Women that aimed to address gender inequality in the art world and encourage wider industry action through debate, dialogue and collaboration. In 2021, it dedicates all exhibitions to the writings of German-born, American political philosopher Hannah Arendt in a 12-month programme On Hannah Arendt to confront some of the most perplexing socio-political issues of our time. The gallery is considered a leader in its representation of female artists, from avant-garde pioneers of the 1960s and ‘70s, such as Eleanor ANTIN, Renate BERTLMANN and Gina PANE, to a younger generation of female artists including Silvia GIAMBRONE and Florence PEAKE. It continues to support female artists through extensive research, partnerships and solo presentations at the gallery and online. Additionally, Richard Saltoun is noted for its support of pioneering artists who have pushed the conceptual and disciplinary boundaries in which they work, from LI Yuan-chia, one of the earliest proponents of abstract and conceptual art in Taiwan, to ULAY, the late photographer and performance artist, as well as British artists Victor BURGIN, Rose ENGLISH, John HILLIARD, Peter KENNARD, Bob LAW, Penny SLINGER and more. The gallery preserves the legacy of artists through its representation of artist estates, including Helen CHADWICK, David HALL, Alexis HUNTER, Bob LAW, Marinella PIRELLI, Jo SPENCE, Barbara LEVITTOUX-ŚWIDERSKA and Shelagh WAKELY, amongst others. The gallery acts as a consultant to major museums and public institutions and advises private and corporate collections. It actively documents the work of its artists through the production of publications and frequently stages talks, screenings and performances. ...