Arabella Dorman

Arabella Dorman (born 1975 in London)[1] is a British war artist and portrait painter.[2][3] She was chosen as one of the BBC's "100 Women" in 2014.[4]

Life

Dorman was born in 1975 in London. She studied at the Byam Shaw School of Art in London (since absorbed into Central Saint Martins) and the University of Edinburgh.[2] She is married to Dominic Elliot, a film maker.[2]

In 2006 Dorman was Britain's first official war artist to go to the front line in Iraq[3] after being invited by Lt Gen Richard Shirreff, who had purchased one of her works.[5] She started her time in Iraq with the Royal Green Jackets in Basra Palace, where she frequently came under enemy fire, then went to the desert near the Iranian border.[6] She spent time with British forces in Afghanistan in 2009-2014. In 2009 she was embedded with 2nd Battalion, The Rifles in Sangin, Helmand, though she was not allowed to accompany soldiers on patrol,[7] and in 2010 travelled within Afghanistan from her base in Kabul.[8]

She worked with refugees in Lesbos, Calais and Dunkirk in 2015 and 2016.[9] In December 2015 she created an art installation by suspending a dinghy, which had been used to transport refugees across the Mediterranean, from the roof of St James's Church, Piccadilly.[10][11] Called Flight, the exhibit was on display until February 2016, and related the flight of refugees to the ancient tradition of hanging boats from church roofs.[12]

Dorman has exhibited at venues including the Imperial War Museum, the Frost and Reed Gallery, and La Galleria Pall Mall.[13]

References
  1. Imperial War Museum: 'Dorman, Arabella (Oral history)'
  2. Alberge, Dalya (19 October 2014). "An artist in Afghanistan: 'To tell the story, you've got to take risks'". The Guardian. Retrieved 21 November 2016.
  3. Harrison, David (2 May 2009). "War artist Arabella Dorman paints Iraq". The Telegraph. Retrieved 21 November 2016.
  4. "Who are the 100 Women 2014?". BBC News. 26 October 2014. Retrieved 21 November 2016.
  5. Richard Brooks, 'The new generation of war artists is more interested in capturing the psychology of warfare than the heroics of battle', Sunday Times magazine, 26 July 2009
  6. Melissa van der Klugt, 'Charcoal and mortar on the frontlines of Iraq', The Times, 9 May 2009
  7. Tom Coghlan 'How fast can you do my portrait? What soldiers asked artist before going on patrol ', The Times, 1 December 2009
  8. Melissa van der Klugt,'The art of war in Afghanistan: Arabella Dorman has chronicled a country caught between hope and fear', The Times, 18 October 2014
  9. "About Arabella Dorman". Arabella Dorman. Retrieved 21 November 2016.
  10. Jonathan Jones (20 December 2015) "Flight by Arabella Dorman review: relic of a rough crossing illustrates refugee crisis", The Observer. Retrieved 15 December 2016.
  11. Robert Dex (27 January 2016) "Dinghy used to flee Syria will hang over audience at concert for victims of war", The Evening Standard. Retrieved 15 December 2016.
  12. "Flight, St James's Piccadilly: 20 December - 8 February 2016". Arabella Dorman. Retrieved 21 November 2016.
  13. "Exhibitions". Arabella Dorman. Retrieved 21 November 2016.
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