I have always been fascinated with the hidden language in renaissance painting and love the idea of telling other stories that serve as subplots in grand portraits and scenes: Covert opinion pieces painted in by the artist, or objects that reveal true character and power dynamics, and often subverting the obvious subject matter.

For a long time, I wanted to produce a series of photographic portraits that make use of familiar images from the Renaissance but swap and update the signs and symbols with contemporary objects, modern fabrics and materials, to tell the stories of some of our contemporary women in Liverpool who transform hearts, minds and neighbourhoods through disruption, subversion and artistic practice.

After a summer of celebrating the centenary of some women’s right to vote in 2018, I wanted celebrate those who defy category, and whose generosity with their time, spaces and resources – offers opportunities to others to express themselves and flourish.

At the end of 2018 a group of us got together to start work on a couple of portraits in the hope of producing a series of portraits that draw on the familiar and offer layers of story of their own – celebrating generosity of spirit and commitment to people and communities that support creativity.

We are hoping that these two portraits will inspire you to support a further 10 being produced over time. The aim is to produce and exhibition and merchandise that will support independent arts programming and education led by women like these!

RWoL are:

Michelle Roberts – Photographer

Mina Bihi – Photographer

Caroline Benzies – Photographer

Karyn Dickinson – Photographer

Jazamin Sinclair – Photographer

Ian Brown – Hair and Make-up

Mary Lamb – Costume

Mia Tagg – Concept and Art Direction

If you want to support RWoL or be involved please drop a line to rwoliverpool@gmail.com

JENNIFER JOHN

Albrecht Dürer’s Self Portrait from 1500

“THIS IS ME AND I SEE YOU”

Jennifer John is a musician, arranger and vocal coach based in Liverpool where she co-founded Sense of Sound with Saphena Aziz, Juliet Russell and Perrilena Alleyne-Hughes. The four performed together for over a decade and Sense of Sound has proliferated into a variety of choirs that perform locally, nationally and internationally. Jennifer has since worked on a multitude of different and varying projects, ranging from TV talent shows to operas.

As a vocal coach, Jennifer fosters an environment of learning without judgement and advocates singing is for everyone as expression of their truth and authenticity in emotion. Jennifer’s inclination to collaborate is what drew me to her as our first subject and example of a Renaissance Woman of Liverpool – there is an inherent generosity in the spirit of collaboration of course, but Jennifer also coaches emerging talent and encourages people of mixed abilities to have their voices heard.

I have been fascinated with Albrecht Dürer’s Self-Portrait from 1500 since I first saw it in a book as a teenager. The direct gaze from another human being is really powerful. It is simultaneously challenging and reassuring, as very few things are. When you spend time with Jennifer, you find yourself challenged by that direct look of one human taking a genuine interest in another, you feel seen – which is both comforting and uncomfortable, and fundamentally human.

We have taken Dürer’s paintbrush away and given Jennifer hummingbirds – to represent Trinidad and song.

Jennifer’s team
Photographer: Karyn Dickinson
Art Direction: Mia Tagg
Costume: Mary Lamb
Hair & Make-up: Ian Brown
Post: Caroline Benzies & Karyn Dickinson Behind the scenes: Rebecca Hawley & Mina Bihi

JOHANNA WILSON & LAURA-KATE CHAPMAN

Detail from Raphael’s The Sistine Madonna

“INVESTED IN IDEAS”

Johanna and Laura-Kate run The Paper Moon Print Studio together. They met through friends here in Liverpool and a passion for screen printing brought them together as business partners and collaborators.

Johanna and Laura-Kate are the embodiment of the opportunities Liverpool has offered young artists, makers and creatives – with affordable living, plenty of space that isn’t precious, where you can make a mess, a lot of noise and try things that don’t always work without scrutiny or judgement. Having set up shop at Constellations, the pair are now based in Static as Constellations prepares to close its doors next year.

Both of them are visual artists in their own right, and lean into events and projects in the city, running workshops and are on of the go-to printers for artists and makers.

We chose to depict them as the two iconic cherubs from Raphael’s The Sistine Madonna, as Johanna and Laura-Kate are two of our youngest subjects and because we thought that their old test prints would make for spectacular feathers for their wings! We have mixed Raphael’s luminous sky with a map of the North West of England as homage to Johanna and Laura-Kate’s heritage.

Johanna & Laura-Kate’s team

Photographer: Michelle Roberts / Art Direction: Mia Tagg / Costume: Johanna Wilson, Mia Tagg & Ian Brown / Hair & Make-up: Ian Brown / Post: Caroline Benzies

Support: Mina Bihi & Karyn Dickinson