Join us for an exploration of the extraordinary life and work of Madge Gill (1882–1961), one of Britain’s most enigmatic artists. Featured in our current exhibition, Grayson Perry: Delusions of Grandeur – and a key source of inspiration to Perry – Gill’s work invites us to question how we define creativity and artistic legitimacy.

Bringing together curators, art critics and writers Sophie Dutton, Hettie Judah, Lisa Slominski and Jennifer Higgie to reflect on Gill’s life and prolific output – created under the influence of a spirit guide she called ‘Myrninerest’ – we’ll consider her place within art history and the wider context of ‘outsider’ art.

About the speakers:

Sophie Dutton is a curator, writer, designer and researcher. She is the editor and designer of Madge Gill by Myrninerest, a monograph published by Rough Trade Books in 2019, with a second edition released this year. Dutton has curated exhibitions of Gill's work, including Myrninerest at The William Morris Gallery (2019), Nature in Mind, featuring reproductions of Gill's art along The Line art trail in east London (2021) and The Clouds Will Burst the Sun Will Shine Again at the Midlands Art Centre (2023).

Jennifer Higgie is a writer and art critic. She was previously the editor of Frieze magazine and is the author of several books including The Mirror and the Palette: 500 Years of Women's Self-Portraits (2021) and The Other Side: A Journey into Women, Art and the Spirit World (2023). Higgie also hosts the National Gallery of Australia's podcast Artist's Artists and curated the 2023 exhibition Thin Skin at the Monash University Museum of Art in Melbourne.

Hettie Judah is a writer and curator. She is a regular contributor to The Guardian, Frieze, The Times Literary Supplement, and Apollo magazine. Her recent shows include the 2024/25 Hayward Gallery Touring exhibition Acts of Creation: On Art and Motherhood, and Gate of Horns: Myths of Resistance, Symbols of Defiance at Carl Freedman Gallery in Margate. As a public speaker and broadcaster, she can be heard on programmes such as BBC Radio 4’s Front Row. Her recent publications include How Not To Exclude Artist Mothers (and other parents) (Lund Humphries, 2022), Lapidarium: The Secret Lives of Stones (John Murray, London, 2022) and Acts of Creation: On Art and Motherhood (Thames & Hudson, 2024). Her forthcoming book How to Enter the Art World After… will be published in 2026.

Lisa Slominski is a curator, writer and cultural producer. She advocates for neurodiversity in contemporary art and examines the historical framework of underrepresented artists, often considered 'self-taught' or 'outsiders'. Slominski is the author of Nonconformers: A New History of Self-Taught Artists (Yale University Press, 2022) and co-founder of ‘Art et al.’, an inclusive curatorial platform focusing on collaborations between arts professionals with and without disabilities.

Take part at the museum: Join us at the museum for this special talk, followed by drinks and exhibition visit.

Watch online: This talk will also be broadcast live from the museum. Online ticketholders will be emailed a link to join 24 hours in advance. Ticketholders will also receive a link to view a recording of the talk, which will be available for two weeks.

Image: Madge Gill, Untitled, date unknown, courtesy of London Borough of Newham