Unexpected views

Sharon Walters on Francisco de Zurbarán's 'Saint Margaret of Antioch'

Artist Sharon Walters talks about her work with portraiture and images of women in relation to Francisco de Zurbarán's 'Saint Margaret of Antioch'

Sharon Walters tells us how a familiar yet unexpected side-eye drew her towards Zurbarán's painting of a fourth-century saint.

About the artist

Sharon Walters is a London-based artist and project curator whose series entitled ‘Seeing Ourselves', is an exploration of identity, beauty standards, and race through intricate paper cut-outs and hand-assembled collages. With over 20 years’ experience of working in arts spaces, she continues to develop her practice working in community arts organisations, galleries and museums including the National Maritime Museum, Soho House, the Tate and the National Portrait Gallery, using them as platforms to explore and collaborate with voices of those who are often excluded and unheard.

Her work has recently featured in group shows at Claridge’s ArtSpace curated by Ekow Eshun and the Gagosian curated by Péjú Oshin, while she is a mentor on the BBC 1 television programme ‘Make It at Market’. In 2023 she was commissioned by National Portrait Gallery to create a work celebrating radical publishers, political and social activists Eric and Jessica Huntley. The work has been acquired by the gallery and will go on display in July 2024. Sharon gained gallery representation from Hacklebury Fine Art who will present her pieces in a number of international art fairs this year along with her first solo show in London in May 2024.