Where to See Eileen Agar

Eileen Agar's work can be viewed in several public collections. In the UK, these include the Brighton Museum & Art Gallery, Manchester Art Gallery, the National Museums of Scotland (Royal Museum) in Edinburgh, and the Victoria & Albert Museum in London. Other locations include the Aberdeen Art Gallery and Museum, the Ulster Museum in Belfast, the Barber Institute of Fine Arts in Birmingham, and the Leeds City Art Gallery. Outside the UK, several museums in the United States hold examples of her work. These are the Charles Hosmer Morse Museum of American Art (Winter Park, Florida), the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, the Minneapolis Institute of Arts, the Museum of Modern Art in New York, the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (Richmond), and the Wolfsonian at Florida International University (Miami Beach). Other museums include the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto.

Eileen Agar produced prints throughout her career, using varied techniques. Printmaking involves creating multiple original impressions from a single prepared surface. Woodblock prints are created by carving a design into a block of wood, inking the raised surface, and pressing it onto paper. The artist carefully proofs the print at each stage, testing colour, eliminating unwanted marks, and deciding on paper and edition size. A roller press helps ensure even printing; guide rails prevent clunking as the block goes through the rollers. Prints are often produced in limited editions, as decided by the artist. Each print in an edition is numbered, titled, and signed, typically in pencil, following established conventions. The edition number appears on the bottom left margin of the print, the title in the centre, and the signature on the right. These conventions, though not legally binding, are widely respected within the printmaking community.

Zubeida Agha's art is important because she embraced a consistent modernism throughout her career. This opened South Asian Muslim subjectivity to the possibilities of modernist abstraction. Her work encourages a re-evaluation of Islamic aesthetics beyond mere stylistic or thematic borrowings, pushing towards a deeper conceptual understanding. Despite remaining separate from formal art training and bohemian artist circles, Agha was deeply involved in institutional development. From 1961^[1], she served for sixteen years as director of the Rawalpindi Art Gallery, part of the government-supported Society of Contemporary Art. In this role, she tirelessly organised group and solo exhibitions, promoting both established and younger artists. Agha also contributed her personal collection to form the basis of a national art gallery. Her dedication helped shape the development of modern art in the region.

Eileen Agar was known for her experimental approach to art-making, and she employed a variety of techniques and materials throughout her career. Agar is associated with collage, often combining found objects and unconventional materials to create surrealist compositions. These works incorporate items such as shells, feathers, fabrics, and photographs, assembled to create surprising juxtapositions and textures. In addition to collage, Agar also worked with painting and drawing. She experimented with different paint media, including oil and watercolour, and explored various techniques, such as automatic drawing and decalcomania (a process of transferring paint from one surface to another). She also produced works using photography, and she was interested in the interplay between different media. Her artistic practice involved a willingness to experiment and push the boundaries of traditional art forms.

It is difficult to identify specific individuals directly influenced by Eileen Agar. However, her participation in the Surrealist movement, and later presence in Britain, meant that she was part of a network of artists who mutually inspired each other. Agar was one of many women who contributed to Surrealism^[1], exploring identity, emotion, and female sexuality in ways that contrasted with male approaches. Other women in this circle included Leonora Carrington, Leonor Fini, Dorothea Tanning, and Meret Oppenheim. These artists, along with Agar, engaged with central Surrealist themes like eroticism and revolution. Figures such as Ithell Colquhoun were in direct contact with the Surrealists in Paris, and later contributed to the expansion of the movement. Colquhoun's paintings, such as Scylla (1938^[1]), offer a female perspective on themes of mythology and the body, something Agar also explored in works such as Angel of Anarchy (1936-40).

Eileen Agar's artistic development involved several influences. Early on, she studied under Leon Underwood, whose emphasis on form and direct carving techniques shaped her initial approach to sculpture. Exposure to Cubism and abstraction in the 1920s, particularly the work of artists like Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque, pushed her toward experimentation. Surrealism^[1] became a central influence after Agar met André Breton and Paul Éluard in 1934^[1]. This encounter led her to explore automatic techniques and the unconscious mind as sources of artistic inspiration. Her work from this period reflects Surrealist themes of dreams, the irrational, and the juxtaposition of unexpected images, aligning her with artists such as Salvador Dalí and Max Ernst. Agar's association with Surrealism encouraged her to challenge conventional artistic boundaries. She incorporated collage, mixed media, and unconventional materials into her practice.

Eileen Agar is most recognised for her collage, *Quadriga*, created around 1935^[1]. The piece is a mixed-media work, incorporating fabric, beads, and other materials onto a photograph. *Quadriga* is viewed as a quintessential example of her engagement with Surrealism^[1]. Agar's interest in collage extended beyond *Quadriga*. She frequently used collage techniques in her paintings and other works. This approach allowed her to explore juxtapositions of textures and imagery. These unexpected combinations are a hallmark of Surrealist art. While *Quadriga* remains her most well-known piece, Agar produced a diverse body of work throughout her career. She experimented with painting, sculpture, and photography. Her artistic output includes abstract compositions and pieces that incorporate natural forms. Agar's work often explores themes of the subconscious and the natural world. She was associated with the British Surrealist movement, and her art reflects the movement's interest in dreams and unconventional imagery.

Eileen Agar is associated with Surrealism^[1], an artistic and literary movement that began in 1924^[1]. Surrealism explored the workings of the mind, drawing inspiration from psychoanalysis, dreams, chance encounters, and irrationality. Agar was born in Argentina in 1899^[1], moved to London in 1911, and lived there for the rest of her life, with frequent visits to France. She became a co-founder of the Surrealist Group in England in 1936. Agar co-signed the group's declaration and collaborated on publications such as the *International Surrealist Bulletin* and the *London Bulletin*. Agar participated in International Surrealist Exhibitions in London (1936), Amsterdam (1938), and Paris (1947). During the 1960s, she once again took part in movement-organised shows, such as "The Enchanted Domain" (Exeter, 1967) and "Surrealism Unlimited" (London, 1978). Her work often combined everyday elements with the unexpected. For example, her piece *Angel of Anarchy* (1936-40) used textiles over plaster and mixed media.