In February 2026 the UK Friends of NMWA presented the UK shortlist of Women to Watch: A Book Arts Revolution in an exhibition at Christie’s in London. 

 

Curator Welmoet Wartena nominated 5 artists for the shortlist: 

Tamsin Green, Larissa Nowicki, Francisca Prieto, Batool Showghi, and Rachel Smith. 

 

The exhibition showcased their diverse practices rooted in the material, conceptual, and imaginative possibilities of the book.

 

“The artworks in this exhibition highlight the tactile, sculptural, and conceptual qualities of the book, with a specific interest in the materiality and narrative of a book. I believe the book, and the artists’ book, is not a static object. it embodies the process of thinking and making by the artists and relates to its [cultural] environment. The book crosses cultural divides, and generates conversations as an object, as a text/image, and as an artwork. A book changes, transforms, and carries information through time and space. It is a place to experiment, interpret, represent, explore, or perform.” Welmoet Wartena, from the curators introduction.

 

Following the exhibition, one artist will be chosen to represent the UK in the NMWA’s international Women to Watch exhibition in Washington DC in 2027. Women to Watch is a long-running international programme initiated by the National Museum of Women in the Arts in Washington DC. It champions women artists at pivotal stages in their careers by providing museum visibility on an international platform.

 

For more information about the artists, exhibition, and UK Friends events:

 

https://www.ukfriendsofnmwa.org/2027-contemporary-book-art/ 

https://www.christies.com/en/events/women-to-watch-uk-exhibition