Arabella Dorman
{{short description|British war artist and portrait painter|bot=PearBOT 5}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2017}}
{{Use British English|date=August 2017}}
Arabella Dorman (born 1975 in London)[http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/80030540 Imperial War Museum: 'Dorman, Arabella (Oral history)'] is a British war artist and portrait painter.{{cite news|last1=Alberge|first1=Dalya|title=An artist in Afghanistan: 'To tell the story, you've got to take risks'|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/oct/19/arabella-dorman-five-years-afghanistan-tell-story-got-to-take-risks|accessdate=21 November 2016|work=The Guardian|date=19 October 2014}}{{cite news|last1=Harrison|first1=David|title=War artist Arabella Dorman paints Iraq|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/iraq/5262624/War-artist-Arabella-Dorman-paints-Iraq.html|accessdate=21 November 2016|work=The Telegraph|date=2 May 2009}} She was chosen as one of the BBC's "100 Women" in 2014.{{cite web | url= https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-29758792| title=Who are the 100 Women 2014? | website=BBC News |date=26 October 2014| accessdate=21 November 2016}}
Life
Dorman was born in 1975 in London. She studied at the Byam Shaw School of Art in London (since absorbed into Central Saint Martins) and the University of Edinburgh. She is married to Dominic Elliot.
In 2006 Dorman was Britain's first official war artist to go to the front line in Iraq after being invited by Lt Gen Richard Shirreff, who had purchased one of her works.{{cite news | first=Richard | last=Brooks | title=The new generation of war artists is more interested in capturing the psychology of warfare than the heroics of battle | magazine=Sunday Times magazine | date=26 July 2009}} She started her time in Iraq with the Royal Green Jackets in Basra Palace, where she frequently came under enemy fire, then went to the desert near the Iranian border.{{cite news | first=Melissa | last=van der Klugt | title=Charcoal and mortar on the frontlines of Iraq | newspaper=The Times | date=9 May 2009}} She spent time with British forces in Afghanistan in 2009-2014. In 2009 she was embedded with 2nd Battalion, The Rifles in Sangin, Helmand, though she was not allowed to accompany soldiers on patrol,{{cite news | first=Tom | last=Coghlan | title=How fast can you do my portrait? What soldiers asked artist before going on patrol | newspaper=The Times | date=1 December 2009}} and in 2010 travelled within Afghanistan from her base in Kabul.{{cite news | first=Melissa | last=van der Klugt | title=The art of war in Afghanistan: Arabella Dorman has chronicled a country caught between hope and fear | newspaper=The Times | date=18 October 2014}}
Her humanitarian work has taken her to Gaza, Palestine & Israel (2017), Lebanon, Syria (2018) and most recently, Ukraine (2023). [https://www.arabelladorman.com/work Dorman's work] explores the realities of modern conflict, its immediate impacts and long-term consequences, and the light that can be born out of the darkness of war.
She worked with refugees in Lesbos, Calais and Dunkirk in 2015 and 2016.{{cite web | url=http://www.arabelladorman.com/biography/ | title=About Arabella Dorman | website=Arabella Dorman | accessdate=8 March 2024}} In December 2015 she created an art installation by suspending a dinghy, which had been used to transport refugees across the Mediterranean, from the roof of St James's Church, Piccadilly.Jonathan Jones (20 December 2015) [https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2015/dec/20/flight-by-arabella-dorman-review-relic-of-a-rough-crossing-illustrates-refugee-crisis "Flight by Arabella Dorman review: relic of a rough crossing illustrates refugee crisis"], The Observer. Retrieved 15 December 2016.Robert Dex (27 January 2016) [https://www.standard.co.uk/goingout/attractions/dinghy-used-to-flee-syria-will-hang-over-audience-at-concert-for-victims-of-war-a3166111.html "Dinghy used to flee Syria will hang over audience at concert for victims of war"], The Evening Standard. Retrieved 15 December 2016. Called Flight, the exhibit was on display until February 2016, and related the flight of refugees to the ancient tradition of hanging boats from church roofs.{{cite web|title=Flight, St James's Piccadilly: 20 December - 8 February 2016|url=http://www.arabelladorman.com/installations/#/flight/|website=Arabella Dorman|accessdate=21 November 2016}}
Following on from Dorman's critically acclaimed work [https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2015/dec/20/flight-by-arabella-dorman-review-relic-of-a-rough-crossing-illustrates-refugee-crisis Flight], [https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/art/news/suspended-art-refugees-clothing-arabella-dorman-a8109251.html Suspended] formed part of her ongoing series of works seeking to highlight the humanitarian crisis of forced displacement across the world today. Suspended premiered in 2017 in St. James's Piccadilly, before touring the UK from 2018-2019, and was notably installed in Canterbury Cathedral and Leicester Cathedrals.
Dorman has exhibited at venues including the Imperial War Museum, the Frost and Reed Gallery, and La Galleria Pall Mall.{{cite web|title=Exhibitions|url=http://www.arabelladorman.com/exhibitions/|website=Arabella Dorman|accessdate=21 November 2016}} She works as an Ambassador to the charities Beyond Conflict{{cite web |title=Ambassadors |url=https://beyond-conflict.co.uk/ambassadors/ |publisher=Beyond Conflict |access-date=8 March 2024}} and Afghanaid and is a member of the Guild of St John of Jerusalem Eye Hospital.
She travelled across the Aralkum Desert in 2021 and the Sinai Peninsula in 2023 with Pom Oliver, Rosie Stancer and Lee Watts.[https://www.ddhammocks.com/adventure_blog/exploring_the_sinai_with_rosie_stancer D D Hammocks website, Exploring the Sinai with Rosie Stancer, article dated June 28, 2023]
In 2024 Dorman exhibited [https://www.itv.com/news/2024-05-23/they-often-go-unheard-new-exhibition-gives-a-voice-to-children-of-war Child of War] at the Ukrainian Catholic Cathedral,[https://religionmediacentre.org.uk/news/child-of-war-artists-testament-to-the-suffering-of-ukraines-next-generation/ Religion Media Centre website, Child of War: artist’s testament to the suffering of Ukraine’s next generation, article by Catherine Pepinster dated May 24, 2024] London. This body of work explores the plight of children in war across the world today.
Publications
References
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External links
- {{official website|http://www.arabelladorman.com/}}
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Category:20th-century English painters
Category:21st-century English painters
Category:20th-century English women artists
Category:21st-century English women artists
Category:Alumni of the Byam Shaw School of Art
Category:Alumni of the University of Edinburgh
Category:English women painters
Category:People educated at St Mary's School, Calne