Somaya Critchlow: The Chamber

London-based painter Somaya Critchlow (b. 1993) grew up visiting Dulwich Picture Gallery. Since then, Critchlow’s work has been exhibited internationally and is held in public collections across the UK, Europe and North America including ICA, Miami; Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam; and the British Museum, London.

She now returns to Dulwich for her debut solo show in a UK public institution, creating a new body of work in response to Old Master paintings. Captivated by the highly charged episodes which unfold across the Gallery’s narrative paintings, Critchlow probes how historic art — telling familiar yet epic stories of myth and religion — can mask complex power structures.  

The display is curated by Dr Lucy West, Curator, Dulwich Picture Gallery and is part of the Unlocking Paintings series: ambitious displays that present new perspectives on the Gallery’s collection, inviting artists and thinkers to interpret historic themes for contemporary audiences.