Myriam Bat Yosef

Mysterious and deeply evocative, Myriam Bat-Yosef channels Surrealist strategies to probe the realms of the unconscious, female identity, and spiritual symbolism. She approaches art as a system of visual and performative language, weaving together painting, printmaking, and performance to examine the interplay of personal experience, mystical thought, and social critique. Her practice moves seamlessly across mediums, adapting to the conceptual demands of each idea while maintaining a sense of poetic intensity. Bat-Yosef often incorporates Hebrew characters, symbolic imagery, and mystical references drawn from Kabbalah and Taoism, creating works that reconcile opposites and evoke introspective contemplation. Her compositions balance vibrant color, geometric structure, and figurative abstraction, translating metaphysical and psychological concepts into tangible forms. Her work also includes performance, most notably in feminist and Surrealist interventions that challenged contemporary notions of gender and the body. These events emphasized interaction, ritual, and the transformation of space, engaging audiences as participants in experimental artistic experiences. Through her multidisciplinary approach, Bat-Yosef dissolves the boundaries between visual art, language, and performance. Her oeuvre creates a contemplative space where spirituality, identity, and freedom converge, leaving a lasting impact on both Surrealist and feminist artistic discourse. ...

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. ...