Collections and Learning assistant Tegan Rush takes us on a quick tour of her all-time favourite female artists in honour of International Women's Day.

1. Hannah Quinlan (1991-) and Rosie Hastings (1991-)

Quinlan and Hastings are a young and exciting artistic duo whose current exhibitions at the Tate Britain (London) and The Box (Plymouth) show their prominence in the UK art scene. Their work is grounded in research into communities and power dynamics, often looking through the lens of class and social identities. While these two artists deal with contemporary matters and relevant concerns today, they look back to historic collections and techniques for producing their works, opting to paint frescos and create diptych drawings.

2. Evelyn De Morgan (1855- 1919)

I couldn’t write about my favourite woman artists without highlighting Evelyn De Morgan, a painter who resisted expectations of gender and class in late 19^th and early 20^th century Britain. Unusually for a woman artist of her era De Morgan enjoyed a successful career exhibiting for over 40 years. Her work combines natural and ethereal elements. It’s a privilege to be able to see her paintings in our De Morgan Exhibition every day. I really like Evening Star over the Sea (1910-14), a piece we recently featured in one of our temporary exhibitions, Dreams & Stories: Modern Pre-Raphaelite Visionaries.

3. Dame Rachel Whiteread (1963-)

Often described as one of Britain’s ‘Most Controversial Artists’ Dame Rachel Whiteread’s works are familiar to many. My favorite artwork is probably also her most famous: House (1993), built and demolished in the same year she became the first woman to win the Turner Prize. House called out the government for displacing people from the public housing they'd lived in for decades, and the larger process of gentrification. Whiteread’s work often materializes the invisible, shedding light on people’s stories that would otherwise go unnoticed.

4. Kara Walker (1969-)

I first encountered Kara Walker’s artistry through her installation Fons Americanus (2019) at the Tate Modern. This monumental piece subverts the usual function of a memorial, questioning rather than celebrating ‘past achievements’ of the British Empire. The vastness of the sculpture was well suited to its position in the Turbine Hall, an open exhibition space free for all. Another captivating piece by Walker is Prince McVeigh and the Turner Blasphemies (2021) which featured in the exhibition In the Black Fantastic at the Hayward Gallery. This stop-motion animation of cut-paper silhouettes depicts historical narratives haunted by sexuality, violence, and subjugation. I sat in the space and watched the moving animation on repeat noticing new details each time.

5. Cornelia Parker (1956-)

Cornelia Parker’s dynamic, and sometimes unpredictable, art practice inspires and remains relevant today, despite some of her most well-known pieces being made over 30 years ago. Her collaborative approach to making, often sees her engage with communities and disadvantaged groups, adding additional layers of interest and excitement to her work. Her poignant installation War Room (2015) is not only a tribute to those who have lost their lives through war but an example of how Parker uses unexpected materials to create engaging and thought-provoking pieces. Her work is as much about the final product as it is about the process.