British painter Rose Wylie approaches all her subjects with the same joie de vivre: be it an effervescent Nicole Kidman on the red carpet; diaristic, almost comic-book depictions of films she’s just seen; even meek portraits of herself trying on clothes. The 91-year-old’s vast canvases are currently on display at the Royal Academy in London, making her the first British woman to have had a solo exhibition in the institution’s main galleries. The wonderful, playful naivety evident in these paintings of herself and other women mark out Wylie’s long overdue place in this country’s canon. Marrying memory with art historical iconography and popular culture, Wylie’s unfettered eye and bold, impasto brushstrokes are one of a kind.
Rose Wylie: The Picture Comes First is at the Royal Academy, London, until 19 April
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