Artwork by woman once deemed “The Wrong Sex” to go on display in Oxford college she graduated from.

An exhibition by a Somerville College alumni is to go on display in the University of Oxford college more than 70 years after she graduated.

The Wrong Sex, which runs from 9 April to 25 May, shows the work of Fanchon Fröhlich (1927 – 2016), who graduated from Somerville College in 1953 with a degree in post-Wittgenstein linguistic philosophy.

The free exhibition features framed prints of her work produced in the 1960s at Atelier 17 in Paris, set up by her friend and mentor, the prestigious printmaker Stanley William Hayter, who she later wrote a book about with Sylvie Le Seac’h: S.W Hayter’s Research On Experimental Drawing  which will be for sale at the exhibition. At Atelier 17, she exhibited alongside artists such as Joan Miro, Michael Duchamp, Michael Chagall and William de Kooning. It was during her time at Atelier 17 that her work was most prominent, leading to her writing for the internationally renowned ‘The Situationist Times’. However, by the 1980s she had become overlooked in a male-dominated art world.

The exhibition will also include a selection of Fanchon’s research theoretical papers, her journals as well as photography of the artist’s fascinating life and pioneering work, it has been curated by artist Terry Duffy. Terry is the founder and CEO of The British Art and Design Association (BADA), whom Fanchon bequeathed her archive to when she passed away.

Terry explains that while the world is familiar with many of her male contemporaries such as Jackson Pollock, Mark Rothko or Willem de Kooning, Fanchon was sadly overlooked in her lifetime, purely because she was a woman.

“Alongside writing and publishing works on quantum physics and philosophy, Fanchon was also a prolific Abstract, Expressionist painter, printmaker and draughtsperson. Throughout her life she was constantly pushing boundaries and travelled the world exploring new techniques and approaches in her work.

“Fanchon was an incredibly talented and innovative artist but, like many female artists and scientists of that time, she was in the shadows of her male counterparts. Abstract art tended to be a male domain and she was actually told by a woman gallery owner that she was simply ‘the wrong sex’.

“She left an extraordinary legacy of work which deserves to be recognised. This exhibition is an opportunity to introduce her work to a new audience and demonstrate the impact she had across artistic, scientific, and philosophical spheres.”

Born in the US, Fanchon moved to the UK in 1949 when she enrolled at Somerville College. It is thought she was influenced to study at Oxford after studying the Philosophy of Science at Chicago University under Professor Rudolph Carnap, founding member of the Vienna Circle.

At Somerville, she studied under the eminent Professor Peter Strawson, who later hung one of Fanchon’s paintings in his office and was also taught by Sir Stewart Hampshire. Fanchon went on to have papers Primary and Secondary Qualities published in the leading journal in philosophy Mind.

Named after Mary Somerville, for whom the term ‘scientist’ was originally coined, Somerville College became one of Oxford’s first colleges for women in 1879. Since then, Somerville women have broken barriers and made their mark on the world. Notable alumni include Elizabeth Anscombe, Philippa Foot, Mary Midgley and Iris Murdoch.

Speaking about the new exhibition, Somerville’s Principal, Jan Royall said, ‘It is clear that Fanchon Frohlich was a brilliant artist miles ahead of her time. It feels apt that this important new exhibition, which proves just how trailblazing Fanchon was, will find a home at her former College, where the talents and potential of women such as Fanchon have never been limited.’

The first day of the exhibition on 9 April will culminate with a special talk by Terry Duffy at 5.30pm.

BADA would like to offer they’re special heartfelt thanks to Somerville College for this opportunity to exhibit an old alumni Fanchon Fröhlich.