ARE LIFE MODELS ARTISTS?
© Dominic Blake 2015 - 2025 | Member, British Society of Aesthetics
In 2015, I conceived a novel art historical theory grounded in my experiences working as a life model at the Royal Academy of Arts, which I wrote about and first discussed in a lecture series, 'Are Life Models Artists?' at institutions including The National Gallery, the Royal College of Art and Mall Galleries and most recently at the University of Cambridge, the University of Leeds and at the V&A. Examining life modelling through art historical and experiential perspectives I explore the existential realms within which the practice exists. While not claiming in an absolute sense that modelling is an art form, I advocate a more enlightened perspective according to which it might become one within the realm of performance art or contemporary dance according to the determining factors of motivation and context. 'Are Life Models Artists?' is an ongoing enquiry, the seismic impact of the pandemic has fundamentally altered the calculus upon which our understanding of the life model is based.
Abstract
The role of the life model is inextricably linked with the Western academic traditions of fine art associated with the emergence of the art academies during the Renaissance, popularised in the 17th and 18th centuries by the Académie Royale de Peinture et Sculpture in Paris and the Royal Academy of Arts in London. The academies have become the filters via which the life model is interpreted and understood, shaping contemporary attitudes and giving rise to cultural paradigms suggesting that models are servants, or mercenary drawing instruments. By extension, models have been thought of as muses, providing the inspiration for artists to create their work via their emotional engagement. However, life modelling is a complex practice, models fulfilling myriad roles beyond those defined by these paradigms. Given the determining factors of motivation and context, modelling might itself become a physical mode of artistic practice within which the model uses their body as their medium to create works of art within the realm of performance art or contemporary dance. These self-choreographed or spontaneous artistic acts may occur either in creative symbiosis with other artists, or beyond the studio / life room environment in alternate contexts, including museum or gallery settings. Differing contexts may foster new perceptual frameworks of understanding on the part of the viewer; removed from previous paradigmatic shackles, the models artistry may be unambiguously revealed.
While undertaking research for 'Are Life Models Artists?', I interviewed the directors of several major galleries, museums and private collections, practicing artists, life models and curators to gain their insight. Included within the group of interviewees was Sir Christopher Le Brun, Past President, Royal Academy of Arts; Simon Martin, Director, Pallant House Gallery; Jo Baring, Director, The Ingram Collection; Lara Wardle, Director Curator, The Jerwood Collection; Gill Saunders, Senior Curator, V&A Department of Word and Image; JJ Delvine, Artist (BP Portrait Award 2018, 2011, 2006); Suzon Lagarde, Portrait Artist and life model and Robin George, life model. I am also indebted to Dr. Darren Clarke, Head of Collections and Research at The Charleston Trust; Professor Jean Wainwright, Professor Carrie Vout (director, the Museum of Classical Archaeology) and the RCA for their support.
LECTURES
Swedenborg House, 'Are Life Models Artists?', lecture and panel discussion, July 2025
The National Gallery, 'Are Life Models Artists?', lecture, March 2025
Royal College of Art, 'Are Life Models Artists?', January 2025
The Drawing Foundation/ The Courtauld Institute, 'Are Life Models Artists?', lecture, June 2024
Estorick Collection of Modern Italian Art, 'Pasquarosa: From Muse to Painter', April 2024
V&A: 'Subverting Beauty: The Greek and Roman body and Donatello', short talk (in tandem with the exhibition Donatello: New Perspectives), March 23
University of Leeds School of Fine Art, History of Art and Cultural Studies: 'Are Life Models Artists?', 13 March 2023
University of Cambridge Faculty of Classics, 'Are Life Models Artists?', lecture, February 2023 at the Museum of Classical Archaeology.
The National Gallery, 'Symbiosis through Sitting', January 2023
The National Gallery, 'Dominic Blake in conversation with Matthew Morgan' (director, Turner's House Museum), January 2023
Aesthetics Research Centre, University of Kent: 'Revaluing the Life Model in Art Practice', symposium, co-curator with Dr. Aurélie Debaene, May 2022.
University of Kent, 'Are Life Models Artists (or Mercenary Drawing Instruments?)', lecture, May 2022.
Royal College of Art, 'Are Life Models Artists?' February 2022
Middlesex University London, 'Are Life Models Artists?', April 2022
Royal College of Art, 'Are Life Models Artists?' February 2020
The National Gallery, 'Are Life Models Artists?', 2019
Hampstead School of Art, 'Are Life Models Artists?', 2019
Mall Galleries, 'Are Life Models Artists?', 2019
PANEL DISCUSSIONS
The Drawing Foundation / The Courtauld Institute: Kat Chimonides, Fleur Blüm, Asako Saito and Dominic Blake in conversation, June 2024
V&A: The Body Beautiful | 'Dominic Blake and Whiskey Chow in conversation with Dan Vo': (a response to the exhibition 'Donatello: Sculpting the Renaissance'), March 2023.
The National Gallery, 'Dominic Blake in conversation with Matthew Morgan' (director, Turner's House Museum), January 2023
Books | Papers
'Model and Artist in One Body', chapter, exhibition catalogue for Charleston's 2021 retrospective of Nina Hamnett. Co-authored with Dr. Aurélie Debaene
'Are Life Models Artists (or Mercenary Drawing Instruments?)', paper, delivered at the University of Kent's Aesthetics Research Centre, May 2022
'Bloomsbury and Social Justice', chapter about the life and work of Duncan Grant, due for publication in 2024. Ed's. Prof. Drew Shannon and Oliver Case
'Are Life Models Artists?' (translation of lecture series of the same name, with generous assistance from The Charleston Trust), due for publication in 2026
Symposium: 'Revaluing the Life Model in Art Practice'
Aesthetics Research Centre, University of Kent, May 2022
In May 2022 I co-curated a symposium at the University of Kent's Aesthetics Research Centre with Dr. Aurélie Debaene, within which the theories I conceived and advanced in my lecture series 'Are Life Models Artists?' and associated issues that emerged out of Dr. Debaene's independent research, were explored. Our successful application to the British Society of Aesthetics received generous funding in 2019. I delivered a paper, 'Are Life Models Artists (or Mercenary Drawing Instruments?)' which was an abridged version of my forthcoming book of the same name. Prominent members of the academic and artistic communities participated through panel discussions and lectures including Jo Baring, Professor Jean Wainwright, Dr. Anna Pakes, Professor Anne Eaton, Anne Noble-Partridge and JJ Delvine.
Live Performances
I use my body as my medium to draw in space. The ephemeral, hieroglyphic forms I create represent direct emotional responses to the environments I locate myself within, the people I share them with and to my body itself. Captured photographically and videographically, they transform into permanent records of time and space. I also create site specific, live performances grounded in my body.
V&A - Alien Entity VII - Videographic installation - March 2023
The Crypt Gallery - Abstract Form VII - Durational performance - September, 2021
Royal College of Art - live performance - Commissioned by RCA Drawing - 2019
Royal Academy of Arts Staff Summer Show - Photographic self portraits - 2019
Pitzhanger Manor - Live performance - Anish Kapoor at Pitzhanger - 2019
London Drawing - Experimental Forms - Durational performance - 2019
Royal Society of Sculptors, Signals - Live performance - 2018
Estorick Collection of Modern Italian Art - Live performance - 2018
