Teatime Talks: Lynette Yiadom-Boakye, imagined portraits
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- Start Date: 14 Oct 2025End Date: 14 Oct 2025Tue (Daytime): 15:30 - 17:30OnlineFull fee £19.00 Senior fee £15.00 Concession £12.00
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What is the course about?
Discover the mesmeric paintings of contemporary British artist Lynette Yiadom-Boakye. At first glance, these entrancing, often mysterious, representations of people, individually and in groups, suggest they are portraits of real people. Explore how Yiadom-Boakye creates ‘portraits’ of entirely imagined characters, creating deeply engaging connections between subject and audience. On this course we will explore how the artist’s idiosyncratic approach to painting offers a new perspective from which to consider the ‘truth’ of conventional portraiture, and discover the lyrical qualities of her work. We will look at selected paintings that have featured in major exhibitions.
British painter and writer, Yiadom-Boakye is one of the few artists in recent times who has been invited by the Tate to re-stage an exhibition previously shown in one of its galleries. The first major survey of her painting originally held at Tate Britain in 2020 was cut short due to the national lockdown. Since 2020, the exhibition has toured internationally, however it will re-open at Tate Britain from 24 November 2022, giving British audiences another opportunity to discover Yiadom-Boakye’s work.
What will we cover?
• We will discuss how Lynette Yiadom-Boakye’s paintings re-invent the traditional convention of portraiture.
• We will consider how the artist transfers ideas around the narrative from her written work to her painting.
What will I achieve?
By the end of this course you should be able to...
· Describe how Yiadom-Boakye uses motifs, colour and setting to create a sense of narrative in her painting.
· Identify of at least two paintings by the artist.
· Participate in a group discussion about a selected work by the artist.
What level is the course and do I need any particular skills?
This course is suitable for all levels.
You should be able to follow simple written and verbal instructions, demonstrations and instructions on the basic elements of Zoom software, like usage of microphone and camera.
How will I be taught, and will there be any work outside the class?
You will be taught online with slide presentations and group discussions. Handouts will be provided by your tutor to support your learning on the course; these handouts will be available online/digitally for download, not printed out for you.
This is a live lesson course - sessions are not recorded or available on demand for reasons of copyright, data protection and digital infrastructure.
Are there any other costs? Is there anything I need to bring?
There are no other costs, but you are advised to bring a notebook to the classes.
When I've finished, what course can I do next?
Art in Britain 1950-2000 – ‘This is Tomorrow’ (Part 2).
Chantal Condron is a curator, teacher and writer with a dedicated focus on audienceengagement and enjoyment of art. As the UK Government Art Collection’s first curator of publicengagement, she led education and public programmes at the University of Hull, WhitechapelGallery and Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery, and delivered art talks at the Britishembassies in Paris, Vienna and Washington DC. She teaches Art History at City Lit, in additionto teaching the subject as part of City Lit’s Ceramics Diploma course. She is also an Art Historytutor for WEA London, and teaches 'A level' Art History to London secondary school students. Chantal has worked widely in the public and private arts sector for nearly 30 years including at Tate, Sotheby's, Visiting Arts, Arts and Business and University of London Library. She holds a BA in 20th century and non-western art from the University of East Anglia; and an MA in Asian art from SOAS, University of London. Author of 'Peter Hedegaard', the first monograph on the London-based Danish abstract artist who exhibited in the 1960s and ‘70s (Rocket Gallery, London, 2019), Chantal continues to contribute commissioned exhibition texts and reviews.
Please note: We reserve the right to change our tutors from those advertised. This happens rarely, but if it does, we are unable to refund fees due to this. Our tutors may have different teaching styles; however we guarantee a consistent quality of teaching in all our courses.
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