Frieze Masters | 2024

Gazelli Art House is thrilled to present a solo booth at Frieze Masters 2024 dedicated to the pioneering British artist Pauline Boty (1938–1966). This exclusive exhibition offers an unparalleled opportunity to engage with significant paintings from across Boty’s short but incendiary career, accompanied by an insightful selection of archival material. The presentation reaffirms the gallery's commitment to celebrating Boty’s effervescent life and her lasting impact on the art world. It follows the success of Pauline Boty: A Portrait at Gazelli Art House, London (2023-2024) which was Boty’s first posthumous solo exhibition in a decade.

A pivotal figure in the British Pop Art movement of the 1960s, Boty defied conventional norms with her fearless exploration of femininity, politics, and popular culture. Often overshadowed by her male peers during her lifetime – a life tragically cut short by her untimely death from cancer in 1966 at the age of 28 – Boty’s work is now rightfully recognised for its significant contribution to the cultural discourse of her time, and its enduring influence on subsequent generations.

Among the important and rarely seen works on display is Untitled (red yellow blue abstract) (1961), one of the few abstract paintings Boty created in her lifetime. This vibrant piece captures the dynamic energy of the 'Swinging Sixties.' Another remarkable work is her portrait of Italian-American mafia boss Big Jim Colosimo (c.1963), based on an old newspaper photograph and rendered in Boty’s distinctive photorealistic black-and-white style, framed by a playful, fun-fair-inspired border. Sunflower Woman (c.1963), exhibited for the first time in over two decades, presents a bold feminine figure amidst a painted collage of imagery from a turbulent modern world, including the Hindenburg disaster, factories, and gangsters. With verve and wit, Boty critiques the 'man’s world' of her time.

Boty’s astute social commentary was bound up with the active role she played in the cultural milieu of the era. Her illustrious career encompassed stage, screen, and radio, with standout performances in the film Alfie (1966) and Frank Hilton’s Day of the Prince (1963). Archival photographs induced in the Frieze Masters presentation vividly capture Boty’s dynamic persona.

This exhibition not only honours Boty’s pioneering approach and feminist legacy but also celebrates the concerted efforts of many to secure her rightful place in art history. Gazelli Art House is proud to lead this significant moment, recognising and celebrating Pauline Boty’s impact. Boty enriched Pop Art by bringing together celebration and critique in a way no one had done before.