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An Exceptional Occurrence

AGAR, Eileen

Eileen Agar's work, whether collages, objects or paintings focuses primarily on accidental forms of nature and the generation of forms, perceiving in these expressions of fertility. She then takes these forms and redistributes and reinvents them by placing them in either a background the colour of mould-soil forests or as in this work, the bottom of the sea. Agar adopts the reality of natural material and presents it in a surreal, unconscious and mythical setting. There was a dramatic decrease in the production of work by Agar during the Second World War, but the post-war period brought a new phase of enthusiasm and colour. An Exceptional Occurrence epitomises this period of renewal. It combines images of shells, seaweed and man-made objects to create unimaginable, surreal sea creatures.

An Exceptional Occurrence
Image: © Estate of Eileen Agar. All Rights Reserved 2025/Bridgeman Images/Amgueddfa Cymru - Museum Wales
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Collection Area

Art

Item Number

NMW A(L) 1610

Creation/Production

AGAR, Eileen
Date: 1950

Measurements

h(cm) frame:63.5cm
h(cm)
w(cm) frame:80.0cm
w(cm)
d(cm) frame:6.0cm
d(cm)

Techniques

oil on canvas on board
Techniques (fine art)
art dept - fine
Fine Art - painting

Material

oil

Location

In store

Categories

Celf Gain ar fenthyg | Fine Art loan Celf Gain | Fine Art Paentiad | Painting Celf Gain | Fine Art Swrealaeth | Surrealism Derek Williams Trust Collection CADP content Artist Benywaidd | Woman Artist Casgliad Ymddiriedolaeth Derek Williams | Derek Williams Trust Collection Artistiaid y 21ain ganrif | Active in the 21st Century
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