Toyen

Toyen forged a singular path within Surrealism, creating a dreamlike visual universe where gender fluidity, desire, and the subconscious collide. Her practice spans painting, drawing, and illustration, often combining erotic, fantastical, and symbolic imagery to challenge societal norms and traditional perceptions of identity. She adopted a gender-neutral persona, using masculine pronouns and dressing in men’s clothing, which informed both her life and her art. Her artistic approach emphasizes the poetic and psychological potential of visual forms, moving beyond literal representation to evoke emotions and subconscious states. Through collaboration with avant-garde groups like Devětsil and later with the French Surrealists, Toyen developed a method that blends meticulous draftsmanship with spontaneous, intuitive gestures, creating works that are both precise and enigmatic. Toyen’s images frequently engage with themes of desire, metamorphosis, and the tension between the human and the fantastical. By integrating eroticism, humor, and symbolic abstraction, she invites viewers to reconsider assumptions about gender, identity, and the imagination. Through her innovative, boundary-defying practice, Toyen remains a pioneering figure in 20th-century art, whose work continues to influence contemporary explorations of surrealism, sexuality, and visual storytelling. ...

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. ...