Interview Directory 

ART

Name: Sophie Camu

Occupation: Consultant, curator and co-founder Space to Breathe in Fife

Residence: Scotland

SPACE TO BREATHE with artwork by Sheila Girling ©Neil Hanna

"When I saw the full extent of work she created from the 1970s until her death in 2015 I became convinced that this artist needed to have her time in the limelight."

How did you come to the decision to organise a major exhibition of SG works?

My husband, Alexander Lindsay grew up living next door to Sheila Girling and Anthony Caro in London and they were close friends. He had a large painting by Sheila hanging in his sitting room, and I was struck by what an exceptionally skilled artist she was. It is a painting that you want to pause and study every time you walk past, which to me (as an art advisor with 25 years experience in the art world) is the first sign of a good work of art! I was fascinated to learn more about her life as the wife and artistic collaborator of Anthony Caro, as well as her friendships with some of the 20th Century's most iconic artists, such as Helen Frankenthaler, Robert Motherwell, Kenneth Noland, Jules Olitski and Edoardo Paolozzi. When I saw the full extent of work she created from the 1970s until her death in 2015 I became convinced that this artist needed to have her time in the limelight. We are celebrating the centenary of Sheila’s birth in 2024, which gave us the ideal opportunity to put on a full retrospective of her life and work. 

How do you feel about the fact that these works are only now being presented to a wider public?

Although I think her recognition is long overdue, Sheila was an artist of her time, when making waves as a woman artist was still incredibly unusual. I feel honoured to be playing a part in the re-appraisal of her life and recognition as an exceptional artist.

"I think Sheila Girling should be viewed not just as an important addition to the recent history of English art, but internationally."

You also referred to Frida Kahlo, whose work was always overshadowed by that of her husband Diego Rivera during his lifetime. How would you describe the importance of SG's work in the English art landscape?

I think Sheila Girling should be viewed not just as an important addition to the recent history of English art, but internationally. Having lived most of the 1960s in the USA at the heart of the American art scene, her work combines a British artistic sensitivity to landscape and figurative painting with an American freedom of expression, colour and joy in the process of painting itself. In this way, I think Girling is unique in absorbing such a spectrum of artistic influences and making them her own.

SPACE TO BREATHE with artwork by Sheila Girling ©Neil Hanna

Sophie Camu, Founder SPACE TO BREATHE with artwork by Sheila Girling ©Neil Hanna

"One of his most iconic works ‘Early One Morning’ (1962 ) was originally painted green, but Sheila told him it had to be red, and so he changed it."

Did Sheila Girling and Sir Anthony Caro influence each other's art?

I have always admired how individual and true to their own artistic paths Caro and Girling remained and yet how supportive they were of each other’s work. They had adjoining studios in Camden (London), and would go between the two on a daily basis, discussing, questioning and offering advice on each other’s work. Anthony Caro freely recognised Sheila’s influence on his work, especially in choosing how to paint his sculptures. One of his most iconic works ‘Early One Morning’ (1962 ) was originally painted green, but Sheila told him it had to be red, and so he changed it. It is now a centrepiece to the Tate Gallery collection in London.

Why did you choose Bowhouse in St Monans for your exhibition?

My family and I moved to Fife from London 6 years ago. We regularly frequent Bowhouse to attend the monthly food market and eat at the delicious Baern cafe, and it was during one of these visits that my husband and I realised what an exceptional space it would be to show art. Alex is a photographer and I am an art consultant and curator so the vast modern barn with its beautiful natural lighting, polished concrete floors and high beamed ceilings appealed to both our artistic sensibilities. We suspend the works on panels hung with steel wires from the ceiling, so the art appears to float in space - it is a unique and memorable way to experience art. 

We are only 1 hour’s drive from Edinburgh, and close to Dundee and St Andrews in a beautiful corner of Scotland which attracts international and local visitors.

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SPACE TO BREATHE with artwork by Sheila Girling ©Neil Hanna

Sophie Camu, Founder SPACE TO BREATHE with artwork by Sheila Girling ©Neil Hanna