Ghisha Koenig
Ghisha Koenig is primarily known for her bronze and terracotta reliefs that depict the visual, social, and psychological relationships that characterise human behaviour within factories. She studied at Hornsey School of Art (1939–42), Chelsea School of Art (1946–8), and the Slade School of Art (1948–9). Growing up in London with prominent art critic Leo Koenig as her father, household visitors included artists, poets, left-wing intellectuals, and political figures. She moved to the industrial area of St Mary Cray in Kent in the early 1950s, where she began to sketch from the factory floor – a practice and subject matter that profoundly affected her career. Koenig was drawn to factories initially due to political interests, but this was broadly humane rather than narrowly political. She developed her own language of figurative art based on her conviction that ‘after Hitler, the dignity of man had to be re-established’. The discovery of this humanity was informed by her exploration of freedom and the tension between generalisation and individualisation, including the relationship between man and machine, and the unique rhythmic patterns and body language of personalities. Public commissions include for the Festival of Britain (1951) and American Industry (1976). She was also recipient of an Arts Council Major Award (1978).
