Joan Snyder PAINTING THE TOWN

‘In the 1960s, some women, like me, wanted to do things another way. I felt compelled to invent a new painting language, within which I could speak about my life and feelings… all the while wanting to make beautiful paintings.’ So says the New-York-based artist Joan Snyder, ahead of the most comprehensive display of her work in Europe to date. The gallery walls of Mayfair’s Thaddaeus Ropac sing with colour as more than 40 works on canvas and paper showcase the distinctive lexicon Snyder devised – of symbols, motifs and expansive brushwork alongside objects such as dried fl owers, glass beads and silk – that, together, explore the potential of abstraction.‘The show defi nitely has me taking a long look back at my work and career,’ says the 84-year-old. ‘And I have no complaints.’