Corin Sworn, Whitechapel Gallery

The vivid storyteller Corin Sworn is the latest artist to receive the Max Mara Art Prize, a biannual award established in 2005 by Max Mara Fashion House and the Whitechapel Gallery.

What is the Max Mara Art Prize?

Spearheaded by the powerhouse curator, Iwona Blazwick, previous winners of the prize have included Turner Prize winner Laure Prouvost and Andrea Büttner. It is presented solely to female artists who have not yet had a solo exhibition to encourage the talent of women artists working in any medium. The winner is awarded a six-month residency in Italy to nurture a project of their choosing, culminating in major solo exhibitions at the Whitechapel Gallery in London and the Collezione Maramotti in Reggio Emilia, Italy. This format suits Corin Sworn perfectly, as her work is rooted in exceptionally thorough research.

Corin Sworn | Whitechapel Gallery exhibition

Glaswegian artist, Corin Sworn has just returned from her residency in Italy to present her new installation at the Whitechapel Gallery. Examining deception, identity and disguise, Sworn’s recent practice is influenced by the Commedia dell’Arte: a form of theatre performed by travelling players since the 16^th century. La commedia frequently employed social stereotypes like the puffed-up military officer, sneaking manservant and nagging wife to give colour to a performance, and has shaped the work of playwrights and artists, from Shakespeare to Goya. The proposal that won Sworn the respected award was an exploration of the content and migrant performances of Italian cinema and the Commedia dell’Arte.

Iwona Blazwick, Director of Whitechapel Gallery said of Sworn: “her sensitive eye and intelligent interpretation of theatrical devices and scenography has been transformed into an arresting and complex visual installation, which will take us on a memorable journey.”

Dive into Corin Sworn’s prize-winning exhibition at the Whitechapel Gallery in east London to uncover the case of mistaken identity in the history of theatre.