Explore The Women’s Art Collection – in Cambridge or the palm of your hand

The Women’s Art Collection contains Europe’s largest collection of art by women. Displayed throughout the Murray Edwards College, one of two colleges for women at the UK’s University of Cambridge, the collection is housed in an iconic Brutalist building designed as a manifesto for women’s education. It aims to champion artists who identify as women, challenge the underrepresentation of women artists and exhibitions in UK museums and galleries, and enhance the daily lives of the young women living and studying at the college.

The Collection grew out of a residency at the college by American artist Mary Kelly, resulting in the 1986 acquisition of her work Extase. The college’s president then embarked on an ambitious campaign for donations by leading women artists, leading to today’s collection of over 600 pieces. 

In 2018, the Collection was given Museum Accreditation by Arts Council England. Below, we’ve highlighted a handful of works from their guide for you to enjoy on a visit to Cambridge or from wherever you are.

Anatoli (1989) by Helen Chadwick

Helen Chadwick (1953–1996) was a conceptual artist who studied in Brighton and London. Her innovative visceral works of the 1980s and 1990s aimed to question gender representation and desire – greatly influencing artists, including the Young British Artists. In 1989, she was one of six artists selected by Richard Cork to create prints for display in public health buildings – Anatoli was her contribution. 

Remembering Atefeh (2013) by Claudia Clare

Claudia Clare, born in 1962, is a ceramic artist who creates work that addresses social issues. Using art as activism, she narrates historical events and their impact on individuals. Remembering Atefeh was created by Clare with a group of Iranian friends to commemorate the life of an Iranian girl who was sentenced to death at 16. It was smashed in front of the Iranian Embassy in London and then rebuilt to reveal the one remaining image of Atefeh inside. 

Breakfast (2017) by Maisie Cousins

Maisie Cousins was born in 1992 and studied Photography at Brighton University. She’s known for her vibrant and sensual still-life arrangements of organic and non-organic items, often inspired by her emotional state at the time of creation. Breakfast depicts roses, egg yolks, and broken glass on a black background, and like much of her work, simultaneously seduces and repulses the viewer.

Naomi (2021) by Nengi Omuku

Nengi Omuku, born in 1987, is a painter who lives and works between Nigeria and London. She creates her work by applying oil paint onto pieces of Sanyan — a traditional Nigerian fabric — and capturing the inner thoughts and emotions of the people she depicts. Naomi is a portrait of the artist’s close friend. Her featureless face shifts the focus of the portrait from the woman’s outward appearance to her interior state of mind. Like in many of Omuku’s compositions, the subject appears to be floating or suspended, with the chair only lightly suggested.

Hint of Blue 2 (2021) by Sekai Machache

Sekai Machache, born in 1989, is a Zimbabwean-Scottish visual artist based in Glasgow. Her work consists mainly of her studio-based compositions exploring the theme of self. In Hint of Blue 2, she reconstructs and plays with the traditional still-life composition by including herself in the shot, commenting on the history of still-life as a way to flaunt wealth and reference covid lockdowns when many people were at home surrounded by their belongings. 

To discover more work from The Women’s Art Collection, explore their guide today.