
Bridget Riley's 'Messengers'
Picture of the month March 2023
For Women's History Month, Fiona Alderton looks at a surprising painting by one of our most celebrated female artists
Authors

Fiona Alderton
Gallery Educator
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An Introduction to Bridget Riley's 'Messengers' | National Gallery
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Join Gallery Educator Fiona Alderton to look at a work you might not expect to find at the National Gallery: a vast painting, called Messengers, by Bridget Riley, which spans two walls of the Annenberg Court. It was unveiled in 2019.
Fiona explores Riley's long-standing connection to the Gallery, revealing how she has taken inspiration from paintings in the collection throughout her life.
Digital activity at the National Gallery is supported by Bloomberg Philanthropies Digital Accelerator

Fiona Alderton
Gallery Educator
Fiona Alderton is a Gallery Educator and storyteller. With a background in performing, she writes and gives sessions for adults and children, including commissions for various organisations such as the National Portrait Gallery, Dulwich Picture Gallery, and the Royal Opera House in London.
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