Latest news with #FemaleArtist
The Guardian
a day ago
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Sofonisba's Chess Game review – pioneering female Renaissance artist gets her due
Like its predecessors from the Ideas Roadshow series, this essay film looks like a high-grade PowerPoint presentation but shines because of its exceptional subject: the pioneering female Renaissance artist Sofonisba Anguissola and her psychologically luminous portraiture. The film is centred on this queen's gambit: her c 1555 portrait of her three sisters and housemaid playing chess, which clocked up numerous firsts. Apart from being the first Renaissance all-female group painting and the first to juxtapose women of different classes, its most groundbreaking accomplishment was depicting real-life – rather than symbolic or idealised – women. Narrated by Elizabeth van Sebelle, the film sticks to basic summaries to relay the context. Born around 1532 into a lapsed aristocratic family from Cremona, as the eldest child Anguissola got a fancy Carthaginian first name (her father was Amilcare) and artistic training a cut above the average woman of the time. Initially schooled by distinguished local painters, she impressed Michelangelo in her early 20s when he challenged her to draw a weeping boy. Her artistic apprenticeship was meant in part to bolster her marriage chances rather than to give her a career in her own right – a career she had, nevertheless, becoming court painter to Philip II of Spain, and subtly influencing her peers. The showpiece analysis is brisk and compelling, from a history of chess as an emerging cultural status symbol to rival literature and music, to the painting's Leonardo-inspired composition. While the image undoubtedly displays Anguissola's empathic talents, there's something particular going on in its matrix of sisterly gazes, as delineated here: moving from seven-year-old Europa's amused reaction to adolescent Minerva's stupefied gawp on losing her queen, to the self-possessed 18-year-old Lucia staring outwards (presumably at the artist). Anguissola is selling the family's credo of education and the transmission of good character. One drawback is that confining the film to a single painting means the analysis of Anguissola's influence feels limited; charting the specific imitators of The Game of Chess is interesting, but less so than understanding the broader impact of ordinary women's representation. And the titbits in her biography hint at greater dramatic possibilities than this purely academic treatment gets across; after leaving the Spanish court, she fell in love with a sea captain, lived childless in Genoa and Palermo, before dying aged 93. This is an intriguing primer, but there's ample biopic potential for this lady on fire. Sofonisba's Chess Game is on Prime Video from 24 July.
Perth Now
09-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Perth Now
Lainey Wilson wins ACM Entertainer of the Year award for second year
Lainey Wilson admitted she suffers with imposter syndrome as she accepted the Entertainer of the Year prize at the Academy of Country Music (ACM) Awards for the second year in a row. The 32-year-old singer scooped the coveted accolade ahead of Kelsea Ballerini, Luke Combs, Cody Johnson, Jelly Roll, Chris Stapleton and Morgan Wallen and took the time to praise her fellow nominees, as well as her fans, in her acceptance speech at Ford Center at the Star in Frisco, Texas, on Thursday (08.05.25) night. Accepting the prize from Blake Shelton, she said: "I love every single one of y'all in this category, and y'all have taken me under y'all's wings and took me out on the road with you, asked me to be on songs, supported me in every way that you possibly can. "I will tell you this: I'm sure everybody deals with a little bit of imposter syndrome, but I won't lie to you. I have a little bit. But I read something not long ago that that just said, 'If something is given to you, then you need to accept it with an open heart and an open mind.' And I just appreciate it. "I really do have the best fans in the world." The '4x4xU' hitmaker went on to tell a story from her childhood about her moments in the spotlight at home. She said: "I remember I was thinking about it earlier this morning — I was just trying to like wrap my head around today — and I remember, my parents had this old hunting spotlight that we used to take off the charger all the time. "And my sister would turn all the lights off in the house and she would shine the spotlight on me as I was running back and forth across the living room. I dreamed about entertaining. I love making people feel things. I love making people laugh and smile and cry. I'm sorry, I like to make you cry, because I love to feel things. "Everybody loves to feel things. And country music has given me more than I deserve. "And I appreciate everybody in this room. My heart is so full. Thank you so much. God bless every single one of y'all. I don't even know what else to say." The Entertainer of the Year prize capped off a successful evening for Lainey, as she also won Female Artist of the Year, Album of the Year for 'Whirlwind' and Artist-Songwriter of the Year. Ella Langley also had a successful night, bagging New Female Artist of the Year, as well as a string of prizes for her and Riley Green's duet 'you look like you love me', which won Single of the Year, Music Event of the Year and Visual Media of the Year. Meanwhile, Keith Urban was recognised with the prestigious Triple Crown Award and was honoured with a musical tribute of some of his hits from Megan Moroney, Chris Stapleton - who won Male Artist of the Year - and Brothers Osborne. After thanking them for their "amazing" performance, Keith - who was the first to win the prize since Carrie Underwood in 2010 - paid tribute to his wife Nicole Kidman and their daughters Sunday, 16, and 14-year-old Faith. He said: "My wife, Nicole Mary, is here tonight. I love you, babygirl. And our girls Sunday and Faith watching at home tonight, I love you both, too. "I have a massive team that I couldn't possibly thank by name, but I want to thank my team for working so insanely hard behind the scenes, 'cause there's no such thing as a self-made man. I wanna thank my road band and my road family. And I wanna say a special thanks to all the fans that have been coming out to see us play. I really appreciate it." Other winners at the ceremony, which was hosted by Reba McEntire, included Brooks and Dunn, who took home Duo of the Year, Old Dominion, who were named Group of the Year for a record-breaking eighth year in a row, and Zach Top, who was named Best Male New Artist of the Year. 2025 ACM Awards list of winners: Entertainer of the Year: Lainey Wilson Female Artist of the Year: Lainey Wilson Male Artist of the Year: Chris Stapleton Duo of the Year: Brooks + Dunn Group of the Year: Old Dominion New Female Artist of the Year: Ella Langley New Male Artist of the Year: Zach Top New Duo or Group of the Year: The Red Clay Strays Album of the Year: 'Whirlwind' - Lainey Wilson Single of the Year: 'you look like you love me' - Ella Langley, Riley Green Song of the Year: 'Dirt Cheap' - Cody Johnson Music Event of the Year: 'you look like you love me' - Ella Langley, Riley Green Visual Media of the Year: 'you look like you love me' - Ella Langley, Riley Green Artist-Songwriter of the Year: Lainey Wilson — WINNER Songwriter of the Year: Jessie Jo Dillon
