Ithell Colquhoun: Bonsoir

Ithell Colquhoun (1906-1988) was a force of nature; a prolific artist, essayist, novelist, and poet whose overriding concerns were with spiritual transcendence and union with the divine energy that animated all matter. For her, surrealism, provided a method and framework to explore not only the deepest reaches of her own mind, but also to connect with other beings and dimensions. We are currently witnessing a coalescence of interests that are thrusting Colquhoun's oeuvre into the spotlight: a renewed interest in surrealism, a new critical commitment to amplifying the historical contribution of women artists, and crucially an interest in esoterically motivated art. Tate holds a vast collection of her works, ephemera and writings in it's archive from which this collection of collage artworks is taken and published for the first time ever.

In 1939 Ithell Colquhoun imagined Bonsoir as a Surrealist film. She constructed a storyboard using photographs cut from popular magazines. It has remained unpublished until now. Employing Surrealist techniques, this collection of collages narrate a moment in time in which convention and ambiguity collide in the exploration of desire.

About the Authors

Matthew Gale is Head of Displays at Tate Modern.

Amy Hale is a Folklorist and Anthropologist specialising in modern Cornwall and contemporary esoteric history and culture.