The work of British artist Chantal Powell is made in response to her personal journey into understanding the symbolic language of the unconscious. A PhD in psychology and an ongoing study of Jungian theory and alchemical symbolism inform her practice.
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Living and working on the Jurassic Coast (West Dorset) Chantal’s practice is inevitably shaped by the elemental cycles and forms spiralling within deep time. Over recent years she has also been researching first-hand the imagery in alchemical manuscripts and notebooks from the 15th and 16th century. Combining archetypal symbols and metaphors from these sources, alongside those from mythology and personal inner work, she uses a Jungian art-based research approach to facilitate our understanding of the human psyche.
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Materiality and process are key to her practice, and she embraces a variety of mediums that include ceramic, glass, metal, textiles and painting in order to express the symbolic material within archetypal imagery.
Chantal has exhibited at galleries and institutions across the UK and internationally including The Lightbox Museum,Woking; Arusha Gallery, Edinburgh; La Boulangerie, Paris; Guildhall Art Gallery, London; Orange County Museum of Art, California; WW Gallery, Venice, amongst others.
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She is also the founder of the residency program Hogchester Arts in West Dorset and hosts the Jungian online book club and speaker program "The Red Book Club". She presents courses, talks and workshops on archetypal symbolism and psychological alchemy and is a faculty lecturer at Jung Archademy. She has co-curated exhibitions at Arusha Gallery in Bruton, The LightBox Museum in Woking, and Hogchester Arts in West Dorset.
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Installation view of NightShaking With The Ingram Collection. LightBox Museum Woking.
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b.1977
Lives and works in West Dorset , UK
Current​​
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Mirror of Mysteries: Women Artists and the Surreal Legacy (curated by Huma Kabakci) - La Boulangerie, Paris - October 2024
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Solo and Two Person Exhibitions
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Heart Spell (two person show with Femmy Otten - Arusha Gallery, London, 2024
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Green Seeds from Dark Earth (solo show) – Haarlem Artspace, Wirksworth, UK, 2020
The Opening Of The Egg (two person show with Kirsty Whiten) – Arusha Gallery, Edingburgh, UK, 2019
Existential Mirage (solo show) – Stand Clear Gallery, Portsmouth, UK, 2014
The Fall Of The Majestic Elk (two person show with Dean Melbourne) – Wolverhampton Art Gallery, Wolverhampton, UK, 2011
Traces and Testament (solo show) – Westbourne Grove Church Artspace, London, UK, 2010
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Selected Group Exhibitions
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Antigone Revisited (curated by Marcelle Joseph) - Hypha Studios HQ, London, 2024
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Sex Magic - (Tate Publishing book Launch. Amy Hale) - Arusha Gallery, London, 2024
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Buried, OHSH Projects, Thames-Side Studios Gallery, London, 2024
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Songs of Hecate - Pictorum Gallery, London, 2023
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Preconscious Landscape (curated by Ainalaiyn Space) – Exposed Arts Projects, London, UK, 2023
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A Gothic Midsummer (curated by Anna Souter) - Roman Road, Bruton, 2023
Pebble/Shoe - LLE artist led project – Kingsgate Project Space, London, UK, 2023
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Between Dog and Wolf (curated by Stephanie Ruth) - Parlour, London, UK, 2022
Conjure (co-curated by Chantal Powell) - Arusha Gallery, The Silk Barn, Bruton, UK, 2022
Post Totem – OHSH Projects, New Oxford Street, London, UK, 2022
CHORUS - Arusha Gallery, Edinburgh, UK, 2022
A Strange Kind of Knowing (curated Olivia Penrose Punnett) – Arusha Gallery, London, and Haarlem Artspace, Wirksworth, UK, 2021-22
Night Shaking with the Ingram Collection (curated by Chantal Powell & Dean Melbourne with The Ingram Collection of British Modern Art) – The Lightbox Museum, Woking, UK, 2021
Darkness at Noon (curated by Ruth Calland for Contemporary British Painting) – APT Gallery, London, UK, 2021
The Holy Grail – OHSH Projects, New Oxford Street, London, UK, 2021
Backyard Sculpture – (curated by Gall & Gates and Domo Baal) – DomoBaal Gallery, London, UK, 2019
​As The Crow Flies – Bo Lee Gallery, London, UK, 2018
The Salamander Devours Its Tail Twice (curated by Ashley Middleton) – Gallery 46, London, UK, 2018
Paper Cuts (curated by Kristian Day) - Saatchi Gallery, London, UK, 2018
MAKE/CREATE (Griffin Gallery & QEST collaboration) – The Crypt Gallery, London, UK, 2015
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Victoriana: The Art Of Revival – The Guildhall Art Gallery (curated by Sonia Solicari. Exhibiting artists included Paula Rego, Mat Collishaw, Grayson Perry, Jack & Dinos Chapman), London, UK, 2013
Room Of Wonder – Newcastle Museum and Art Gallery, Staffordshire, UK, 2013
Cave – Aspex Gallery, Portsmouth, UK, 2013
Burning Bright (curated by Rebecca Wilson / Saatchi Gallery) – Hyatt Regency, London, UK, 2013
Unnatural, Natural History (curated by Coates and Scarry) - Royal West Academy, Bristol, UK, 2012
London Calling – Orange County Centre of Contemporary Art Museum, California, US, 2012
Imprint (curated by Francesca Goodwin) – Serpentine Gallery's Centre Of Possible Studies, London, UK, 2012
Afternoon Tea At The 54th Venice Biennale – WW Gallery, Venice, IT, 2011
FLAGSTOP – South Bay Lexus, Los Angeles, US, 2011
Time – WW Gallery, London, UK, 2010
Travelling Light – WW Gallery, London and toured to 53rd Venice Biennale, UK & IT, 2009
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Curation​
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Conjure (co-curated with Arusha Gallery) - Arusha Gallery, Silk Barn, Bruton, UK, 2022
Night Shaking with the Ingram Collection (co-curated with Dean Melbourne) - The Lightbox Museum, Woking, UK 2021
Hogchester Arts Summer Exhibition – Hogchester Arts, West Dorset, UK 2019
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Public Commissions
Commissioned by NewcastleGateshead initiative to create outdoor public commission for Saltwell Park, Newcastle Gateshead, UK, 2014 & 2015
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Interactive public installation for Museums at Night commissioned by Guildhall Art Gallery London, UK , 2014
Nightingale's Nest. Site Specific installation for Guildhall Art Gallery, London, UK, 2013
Site Specific Installation for Grade II listed Church building, Hampshire, UK, 2012
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Awards & Residencies
Arts Council England DYCP grant, 2023/24
CoverMill Residency, The Netherlands, 2022
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a-n Professional Development Bursary, 2022 & 2019
Mark Tanner Sculpture Award – Shortlisted, 2015
a-n Re:view Bursary, 2013
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Press
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​The Treasured Alchemy of Heart Spells - Essay by Amy Hale, 2024
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How Freud’s Legacy in Psychoanalysis Is Still Inspiring Artists Today by Emily Steer for Artsy, 2023
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Lightbox Museum Interview, 2021
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The Global Discussion Interview 2021
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Axisweb Interview 2020​​
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Other Activities
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Commissioned art writing
Faculty lecturer at Jung Archademy, US, 2021 - current day.
Founder/ director at Hogchester Arts (contemporary rural arts residency project), Hogchester, Dorset, UK, 2017-current day
Founder and host of the Jungian online book club and speaker program "The Red Book Club", 2020 - current day
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Course organiser and co-presenter "In Praise of Mystery - Artistic Ventures into the Unconscious" with Ann McCoy, 2023
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Course organiser and host- "Techniques For Accessing The Unconscious With Ann McCoy", 2022
Presents illustrated talks and workshops on psychological alchemy from an artist's perspective at various groups and institutions. 2015 - current
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In person studio workshops and mentoring 2020 - current
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Education and Professional Development
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PhD. in Social Psychology, Southampton University, UK, 2002
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Ongoing self study into Jungian thinking and alchemy