#eroticcensorship - The Mall Galleries responds

Thanks to Nicci Talbot (rudemagazine.com) for posting the response she has received from the Mall Galleries on Facebook. 

It opens up a number of questions:

1. Why did the Mall Galleries not simply have the painting moved to a less prominent spot in the gallery?

2. Why is it ok to replace "Portrait of Ms Ruby May, standing" with a nude by another artist? 

3. What is it about the painting that is seen as a threat to children/vulnerable adults?

4. Would the Society for Women Artists like to respond to this press release?

Please join the debate on Facebook and Twitter #eroticcensorship @mallgalleries @SWAInfo @msmccall

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MALL GALLERIES STATEMENT

RE: PAINTING BY LEENA MCCALL

·      The painting by Leena McCall was hung in an exhibition organised, selected and funded by the Society of Women Artists, who havehired the Mall Galleries (run by the Federation of British Artists) for their annual exhibition.

·      The Mall Galleries played no part in its selection or hanging.

·      As an educational arts charity, the Federation has a responsibility to its Trustees and to the children and vulnerable adults who use its Galleries and Learning Centre. After a number of complaints regarding the depiction of the subject and taking account of its location en route for children to our Learning Centre, we requested the painting was removed.  The Society of Women Artists made no objection and replaced it with another painting, also depicting a female nude.

Mall Galleries / Federation of British Artists

SWA Private View today

I attended the SWA Private View today at the Mall Galleries. Here's a little snapshot of the painting in situ. Show runs until 5th July. 

Portrait of Ms Ruby May, standing on show at the Mall Galleries, London until 5th July

Portrait of Ms Ruby May selected for SWA annual exhibition at the Mall Galleries

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My 'Portrait of Ms Ruby May, standing' has been selected for show at the Mall Galleries in London for the 153rd Society for Women Artists annual exhibition. Details of the exhibition and private view are listed below. 

Society for Women Artists (SWA) - 153rd Annual Exhibition

26th June - 5th July (10am - 5pm daily)

at the Mall Galleries in London, The Mall, London SW1


Private view invitation 

Private view invitation 



Upcoming exhibition - Sweet Art

I will be exhibiting at the Sweet Art Show No. 1 in support of International Women's Day from 8th - 14th March. The exhibition will be held at the Crypt Gallery, St Pancras Parish Church, Euston Road, London.

If you wish to attend the private view on Friday 8th March (6 - 9pm), please rsvp to info@wearesweetart.com. Details of the exhibition can be found on their website.

 

Next exhibition: Face-to-Face, An exhibition exploring portraiture

Portrait of Ms Ruby May, 2012​

Portrait of Ms Ruby May, 2012​

My new portrait of Ms Ruby May, will be on show at the Espacio Gallery in London from 27th September to 2nd October.​ The exhibition is a group show titled:

Face-to-Face​, An exhibition exploring portraiture

Everyone is welcome to attend the private view on Thursday 27th September from 6-9pm. ​Details can be found on the gallery's website.

Espacio Gallery, 159 Bethnal Green Road, London, E2 7DG

Open Daily from 1-7pm including weekends. Closed on Wednesdays.

Next exhibition: 'LUST' at Chinawhite on 15th & 16th February

Leena McCall's paintings will be on show at Chinawhite in London this week. Jason Bradbury is organising a group show of erotic artists entitled 'LUST'. There will be two private views at the exclusive Mayfair club. If you are interested in attending, please rsvp to jason@jasonbradburypresents.com. I look forward to seeing you there on the 15th and 16th February!

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Art Erotica Exhibition: Winner of the visitors' choice award

A week after the inaugural Art Erotica Exhibition ended, the organiser of the event, Kathryn Roberts, announced on their website that my portrait of the deliciously sexy Ms Ruby May had also won the Visitors' Choice award of £500.

Many thanks to all those who voted for my painting. It serves as great encouragement to continue painting my erotic portaits of women. You can still buy the exhibition posters directly from the Art Erotica website (click on the image above).

Here are some reviews of the show. Looking forward to attending next year's event!

'Ms Ruby May by Leena McCall', www.inrudehealth.com

'Art Erotica raises brows in Mayfair', www.somethingdark.com

'Visible to the naked Eye: Art Erotica 2012', Now.Here.This. Time Out London

'First Art Erotica exhibition ends with promise of more to come', www.somethingdark.com

'Art Erotica Exhibition', Miss Player www.eroticmeet.net

Winner of runner up prize cash award

The private view of the inaugural Erotic Art Exhibition took place on 18th January. The prizes were announced to a packed gallery. My painting of Ms Ruby May won the runner up prize of £750. Nancy Farmer's wonderful drawing 'Fornicating Fairies' won the Grand Prize. 
More details about the prizes can be found on the Erotic Art Exhibition site. 

Shortlisted for the Art Erotica Exhibition, London

My portrait of Ms Ruby May has been shortlisted for the inaugural Art Erotica Exhibition, taking place 19–27 January 2012 in the Gallery in Cork Street, 28 Cork Street, London W1S 3NG. The painting has also been selected for the exhibition poster, see below.

The ticketed private view will take place on Wednesday 18th January 7-9pm, followed by an after party at Chinawhite in Fitzrovia. There is an artists' reception on 25th January and a number of talks and discussions will be held throughout the exhibition.

Open studio weekend - 25th - 27th November 2011

I will be participating in the ASC Open Studio weekends in November 2011. My studio is located in Erlang House, 128 Blackfriars Road, London SE1 8EQ
 

Opening Hours: Saturday 26 November 2011, 12.00-6.00 pm
Private View: Friday 25 November, 6.00-9.00 pm
Transport: 3 mins from Southwark tube

Please let me know if you would like to come to the private view on Friday evening or join us over the weekend.

 

Art in Action - photos

Here are a few photos taken during the 4 day Art in Action event held at Waterperry House in Oxfordshire. It was a terrifically fun event, though exhausting! Thank you to everyone who was there to help and support me. I could not have done it without you.

Latest drawings added to portfolio gallery

I have been working on a number of new "Flesh" drawings for the upcoming Art in Action show. You can find photographs of them in the portfolio gallery. These drawings are again charcoal, but on a different surface. I have been experimenting with tissue paper on handmade paper. The two together lend an interesting finish to the drawings.

Announcing the new website

Construction site in BerlinToday I can present my new website. It has been under construction for a number of weeks. I've changed the design, added some more galleries and blog posts and will be keeping it up to date with all things relating to my artwork. Details of upcoming exhibitions, photos of events and new artwork will be posted here.

You can now also sign the guest book, leave comments and contact me easily. Hope it is a more interesting and enjoyable experience than the last one :-)