Grace Pailthorpe and Reuben Mednikoff A Tale of Mother’s Bones

by Hope Wolf (Editor), Rosie Cooper (Editor), Martin Clark (Editor)

Dr Grace Pailthorpe (1883-1971) and Reuben Mednikoff (1906-1972) began collaborating in 1935. This richly illustrated book includes an expansive new essay that explores how Pailthorpe and Mednikoff used a tale they told about their gender, spiritual beliefs, the critical reception their work received, and the rise of Fascism. The book also features seven contemporary responses from the fields of art, art history, medical humanities and modern literature, bringing new theories, ideas, and approaches to an understanding and appreciation of seven individual works.

Edited by Hope Wolf with Rosie Cooper, Martin Clark and Gina Buenfeld.

160 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2019

Reviews

[Bill Hsu · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's hard for me to take Pailthorpe's analyses seriously, with the Freudian ruminations on infantilism, shit, Oedipal impulses etc etc.

But I'm captivated by the best of the paintings and (even more so) the drawings. The fluid, unstable forms seem to evolve endlessly. Bizarre appendages and orifices emerge here and there, only to be submerged in larger shapes and textures. The painting on the book cover is a good example. Another is Mednikoff's "The Flying Pig", reproduced here. The same article also shows Pailthorpe's disturbing "Sea Urchin/The Escaped Prisoner", with the flowing abstract organic forms.

The drawings also have the unstable organic forms. But the lines are often beautifully rendered, and there's usually some disorienting play with space. This article has a couple examples.

Thanks to Merl Fluin whose blog post pointed me to the show:
https://gorgoninfurs.com/2019/05/07/t...