Amar Singh Art Gallery to Feature Previously Unseen Photographs and Photograms from the Dora Maar Estate in Latest Exhibition

Amar Singh is an art enthusiast, and to bring rare art pieces to the forefront, he founded Amar Gallery in London. The British Indian LGBT+ ally and women’s rights activist founded his gallery to provide a platform for overlooked or underrepresented female, minority, and LGBT+ artists. His latest exhibition Dora Maar: Behind the Lens features previously unseen photographs and photograms from the Dora Maar Estate and is open to the public until 18th August 2024.

Through the exhibition, Amar Singh’s Art Gallery platforms Maar’s pioneering photography, which was admired by Henri Cartier-Bresson and Man Ray, and counteracts the biased view of Maar as merely a muse to Picasso and the famous ‘Weeping Woman’ depicted in his cubist paintings. Talking about it, he said, “It is important to champion underrepresented voices, and the Gallery’s programme will bring to the surface some of history’s most important artists who have been overlooked due to gender, race or sexuality. “

Amar Singh reveals that the images on display in his art gallery were founded by the estate in storage and sold them two years ago. The photograms and photographs are incredibly rare pieces of art history which truly shine a light on Dora Maar’s remarkable talent. While Dora Maar was a talented photographer, when she became Picasso’s lover, he apparently discouraged her from photography, immortalising her as the ‘Weeping Woman’ in 1937 and eventually leaving her for Francoise Gilot.

Talking about how she went into depression post that and never recovered from her relationship with Picasso, Amar Singh, while appreciating her art, said, “This is unquestionably due to the power structures which existed and still exist to an extent. Picasso was not only celebrated during his lifetime, he was treated like a God and worshipped by his entire circle. The interesting point with Dora is just how talented she was, how groundbreaking she was but even she was cursed due to Picasso’s deification.”

The exhibition date at the Amar Singh Art Gallery coincides with the release of Louisa Treger’s book ’The Paris Muse’, which explores Maar’s relationship with Picasso, and a play titled ‘Maar, Dora’ at Camden Fringe in August. Amar Singh reveals that the step was intentional. “Louisa Treger, who wrote The Paris Muse, spent years researching Dora Maar. We connected and decided to launch Amar Gallery’s reopening exhibition together. At the same time, I thought “why stop there?” People need to know about Dora Maar. So, the gallery is producing Maar, Dora, a play about the life of Dora Maar written and directed by Spiky Paul and Nadia Jackson,” he shared.

Being an activist, Amar Singh informed that a portion for the proceeds of his art exhibit will go towards anti-trafficking organizations in India dedicated to the protection of women and children. “$25,000 this year will be going to support the anti-trafficking of women & children across India. My work in LGBT+ rights & anti-trafficking does heavily influence the Gallery’s programme in the sense that we show overlooked artists and important works of art,” he said.