Ice Cream 1964

Editor: This is Evelyne Axell's "Ice Cream," painted in 1964 using acrylic paint. The grayscale portrait of a woman licking an ice cream, combined with bold, flat colours makes for such a striking image. What’s your take on this painting? Curator: Well, this piece comes to us from a really interesting time, doesn't it? Consider that '64 was right on the cusp of second-wave feminism. And Pop Art, like we see here, was challenging the art establishment. Axell's not just painting an image; she's making a statement about female desire and sexuality, placing it firmly within the public sphere, something often policed and censored. Do you think the way she uses colour adds to that? Editor: I do. It feels deliberately provocative! But was her work always well received? Curator: Absolutely not. Early feminist readings of Axell, and other female Pop artists, often dismissed their work. There was the thought that it reinforced patriarchal ideals, by using imagery and style linked to advertising and consumerism. But that's shifting! We're re-evaluating how women artists engaged with Pop Art and its visual language. It seems apparent now that they were actively subverting and reclaiming the gaze. The art world itself can be as slow to change as anything, don't you think? Editor: It definitely seems so. This gives me a lot to think about in terms of power, and who controls representation in art. Thanks for sharing. Curator: My pleasure! It's vital that we continue to explore art's role in social and political dialogues. Hopefully that dialogue is a continuing one.