Where to See Evelyne Axell

Evelyne Axell's artwork can be viewed in various public collections. These include museums in her native Belgium, as well as institutions further afield. Belgium holds several key collections. The Musée d'Ixelles in Brussels possesses examples of her paintings and sculptures. The Belfius Collection, also in Brussels, includes Axell's pieces within its broader survey of Belgian^[2] art. Additionally, Mu.ZEE in Ostend has works by Axell in its holdings. Beyond Belgium, Axell's art has entered international collections. The Centre Pompidou in Paris includes her work, placing it within the context of French and international modernism. The Museum für Moderne Kunst, or MMK, in Frankfurt, Germany, also owns pieces by the artist. These various locations provide opportunities to study Axell's contribution to late 20th-century art.

Evelyne Axell (1935^[2]-1990) was a Belgian^[2] pop artist who explored female sexuality in her work. Axell had been an actress but became a full-time artist in the early 1960s. She persuaded René Magritte, a family friend, to tutor her monthly for a year at his home in Brussels. Her work is often described as proto-feminist, reclaiming female sexuality from male-centred perspectives common in art history. Axell's images present self-aware women in control of their desires. Her 1964^[2] oil painting *Ice Cream* is a provocative example. It depicts a young woman with a naturalistic face, subtly shaded in greys, sensually enjoying an ice cream cone. The woman's eyes are closed, and her red hair contrasts with the green, yellow, and blue waves around her. The painting challenges conventional views of heterosexuality by centering female pleasure, rather than portraying women as passive objects of male desire.

Evelyne Axell's art is significant for its early exploration of female sexuality and identity. Her work challenged traditional representations of women in art. Axell's pieces often employed innovative materials, such as plastic and plexiglas, pushing the boundaries of painting and sculpture. Axell's focus on female pleasure and perspective was unusual for her time. Her artwork offers a counterpoint to male-dominated narratives. Some critics suggest her work anticipates later feminist art movements. Axell's career was cut short by her death in 1972^[2]. Despite a relatively brief period of artistic production, her output is now viewed as an important contribution to discussions about gender, representation, and the body in art. Her pieces encourage continued examination of the female gaze and the politics of looking.

Evelyne Axell is known for her innovative use of materials and techniques, often pushing the boundaries of traditional art forms. In the 1960s, she began incorporating various plastics into her work, such as Plexiglas and Perspex, which were relatively new materials at the time. She explored their transparency, reflectivity, and malleability to create unique visual effects. Axell also experimented with painting on photographic substrates, a practice that gained traction among artists in the latter half of the 20th century. This involved applying paint, often oils, acrylics, or dyes, onto photographic images, sometimes mimicking elements within the photograph itself. She also used enamel paints, exploiting their quick-drying properties to create textures through fissures and crackles. These techniques allowed her to combine industrial materials with traditional artistic methods, resulting in a distinctive style.

Evelyne Axell, a Belgian^[2] artist who transitioned from acting to art in the 1960s, explored female sexuality in her work. Her art has been described as proto-feminist, reclaiming control of female sexuality from a male-centred art history. Axell's work can be contrasted with that of male Pop artists such as Tom Wesselmann. His *Great American Nudes* received criticism from feminists for objectifying women. In contrast, Axell's *Ice Cream* (1964^[2]) reverses this dynamic. The painting depicts a woman enjoying an ice cream cone, with the implication that the woman is active and the man is passive. Pauline Boty, a British Pop artist, similarly presented female sexuality from a woman's perspective. Her painting *With Love to Jean-Paul Belmondo* (1962) uses a large flower as a symbol of female sensuality. Like Axell, Boty brought a confident representation of female sexuality to Pop art.

Evelyne Axell engaged with various artistic movements and figures. Surrealist artists like Marcel Duchamp are listed among a range of influences. Others include Joan Miró, Hans Bellmer, and Roberto Matta. These artists explored the subconscious and unconventional forms, which may have shaped Axell's artistic approach. Axell's work also seems to connect with broader artistic and intellectual circles. Figures such as Charles Baudelaire, known for his symbolist poetry, and Albert Einstein, with his revolutionary scientific theories, appear in lists of possible influences. These names suggest a wide-ranging engagement with the avant-garde ideas of her time. These influences do not indicate direct stylistic imitation, but rather a shared cultural context and intellectual curiosity that informed her artistic development.

Evelyne Axell is best known for paintings from her 'Emancipation Cycle'. She 'established' these paintings at the age of twenty-six. The series includes *Vénisse Asleep* (1967^[2]), *The Birth of Vénisse* (1968), *Déjeuner sur l’herbe* (1968), and *The Rape of Leucippus’ Sons* (1969). In creating the series, Axell used honourable men as her models. Axell stated that the emancipation of women was unfeasible in civilisation. She hated the image of the 'fat tractor driver with the scarf in her hair' that was common on posters. For twenty years, she met no one who accepted the idea that she might become a painter. She felt that, due to her gender, she had no rights. She did not feel endowed with any special gifts that made repulsive chores a suitable occupation for her.

Evelyne Axell (born Evelyne Devaux, 1935^[2]-1972^[2]) is usually associated with Pop art, although her work has links to feminist art and erotic art. She is one of the few female artists to have worked in Pop during the 1960s. Axell initially trained in ceramics and then in acting. She worked as a television actress and presenter before turning to painting full time. Her early paintings were Expressionist. A meeting with the Pop artist Andy Warhol in 1964^[2] encouraged her to explore Pop art techniques. Axell's mature style used bright colours and simplified forms. She often depicted female figures, sometimes incorporating her own image. Her materials included Plexiglas, enamel paint, and photographs. Some of her best-known works include "Ice Cream" (1964), "Valentine, I Love You" (1966), and "Erotomobile" (1969). Axell's work often explored themes of female sexuality and liberation. She died in a car accident in 1972, at the age of 37.