France-Lise McGurn (b. Glasgow 1983). The atmospheric practice of France-Lise McGurn transports the viewer from the public realm of a museum or gallery and into the most personal quarters of the artist’s life: her studio, her bedroom, her mind and musings. McGurn’s figurative practice delivers a wholly immersive experience, launching the viewer into a three-dimensional world of the intimate and relatable. The figures that occupy McGurn’s world belong to her imagination. These archetypal characters, often portrayed in a state of undress, whether in groups, in pairs or alone, recline in both ecstasy and agony. At times, they appear bare and exposed huddled in tense tableaux, seemingly withdrawn in defence. Elsewhere, McGurn’s characters are languid, bathed in air of euphoria.
House of Voltaire Presents France-Lise McGurn
In this new vivid installation, France-Lise McGurn (b. Glasgow 1983) invites visitors into an imagined domestic space that is tinged with the minds and musings of recently departed party guests. Known for her unrestrained fluid paintings, McGurn’s atmospheric figurative gestures deliver a wholly immersive experience into a three-dimensional world of the intimate and relatable.
The artist has created a series of unique hand-painted objects and limited editions exclusive to House of Voltaire, including a superfine cashmere blanket, a pair of night and day t-shirts and a square silk scarf.
All specially commissioned works are available to purchase at House of Voltaire, in-store and online, in support of Studio Voltaire’s artistic and public programmes.
Photography by Francis Ware