Leonora Carrington

1917 - 2011

Lives in United States, lives in Mexico, lives in United Kingdom.

During her childhood, Leonora Carrington was surrounded by beautiful woods as imagined in a fairy tale. At 9 she was sent for 3 years to catholic convents for education and finishing. However, the three years she spent in convents was an indeed traumatic experience to her. Leonora was soon to rebel against the established rules, to become an artist in her own right. The decision to become an artist would result in a schism in her relationship with her father, who would have rather seen her become almost anything else, rather than an artist. She is known throughout the world as one of the main pillars of surrealism. She has had many exhibits in Mexico City, New York, San Francisco, Paris, London, Munich and Tokyo. Her books are translated into more than six languages. She is certainly one the most important female artists of her time, a time when women were not readily accepted as individual artists. She has fought and won the battle to be recognized as an individual, as a woman and as an artist. Salvador Dali singled her out "as the most important female artist".

About M HKA / Mission Statement

The M HKA is a museum for contemporary art, film and visual culture in its widest sense. It is an open place of encounter for art, artists and the public. The M HKA aspires to play a leading role in Flanders and to extend its international profile by building upon Antwerp's avant-garde tradition. The M HKA bridges the relationship between artistic questions and wider societal issues, between the international and the regional, artists and public, tradition and innovation, reflection and presentation. Central here is the museum's collection with its ongoing acquisitions, as well as related areas of management and research.

About M HKA Ensembles

The M HKA Ensembles represent our first steps towards initiating the public to today's art-related digital landscape. With the help of these new media, our aim is to offer our artworks a better and fuller array of support for their presentation and public understanding.