Siege

P21 Gallery is proud to announce "SIEGE," a powerful new exhibition by Susan Boulter. The show is structured in two distinct parts: the first, a series of 12 works, presents a world subjected to a state of siege by powerful forces. The second, a series of 7 pieces, reveals the specific and general ways in which truth is manipulated and suppressed.

Boulter’s work posits that a siege is not merely a military condition but a pervasive system—one that subjugates individual freedoms to the grip of public authority.

Challenging conventions both in theme and form, Boulter does not call herself an ‘artist.’ She employs deliberately crude methods to create work that is both effective and provocative. In its raw execution and potent subject matter, "SIEGE" compellingly raises the question: What is art?

The works in this exhibition are born from an anger fueled by witnessing world events. They form a direct successor to Susan’s previous exhibition at P21 in 2016.

Boulter’s process is intuitive and immediate. Images often arrive fully formed, though they can shift and evolve during their creation. As an artist without formal training, she produce each piece as a new experiment, using materials readily at hand or sourced digitally. Working from a room in her home, she produce everything rapidly, driven by a need for urgency.

Ultimately, Boulter hopes these works provoke a visceral response—whether it be disgust, sympathy, or anger—reflecting the turbulent emotions from which they emerged.

Susan Boulter is an 80-year-old self-taught artist who began making art after a career in education. With no formal training, she creates pieces that challenge perceptions of art and global politics. Her first work in 2006, entitled ‘Guantanamo,’ was a direct response to the imprisonment and torture of individuals by the United States at Guantanamo Bay. Her most recent piece, a ‘Dangerous Tee-Shirt,’ was inspired by the arrests of people carrying signs with the words "Palestine" and "Action."

Boulter maintains no social media presence, believing that individual prominence is less important than one's actions and conduct.

Beyond her art, Susan Boulter is the bass player for the Bluematics, performing Chicago blues at the Ain’t Nothin’ But Blues Bar on Kingly Street. Her signature greeting, “Let’s stop being angry and play some music,” perfectly captures her spirit.

Entry Fee: £5

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