Witches’ Bodies in Art

Imagine a witch. What does she look like? Is she a hag with sagging breasts and a wart on her chin? Is she a seductive siren with glowing eyes? Does she fly through the air on a broom or dance with the devil by a fire? Each culture has their own conception of a witch, the untameable, powerful woman. Witches were not always evil, many were seen as essential gateways to the spirit world; many times they were idealized women, their bodies were socially beautiful, both creative and destructive. This talk uses the term ‘witch’ broadly, looking at art a wide range of witches’ bodies to explore the idea of the powerful woman in world history from Japanese fox spirits to ancient Mycenaean priestesses, European witches and Mayan queens. We think about how their power is formed in relation to a culture’s ideals of beauty.

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the total duration of the event is 1 hour ( ~ 50mins lecture and 10mins Q&A)
the talk doesn’t require any prior training and anyone can join
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MORE ON this theme: mystery, miracle and magic

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SPEAKER – SARAH JAFFRAY
Sarah Jaffray holds a BA and MA in Art History with an emphasis in 19th/20th century France and a minor in the Italian Renaissance. She holds a second MA in Cultural Theory from Goldsmiths, University of London. Sarah was a lecturer for several colleges and universities in the Los Angeles area before relocating to London in 2012. She has worked in curatorial roles at the British Museum and Wellcome Collection. Sarah is currently a lecturer at the University of Arts London and Coordinator for City Lit’s Art History programme. Her art historical practice focuses on experimental narratives, artistic process, art pedagogy, politics and philosophy. Sarah’s current research is focused on translation and empathy.

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