Claude Cahun

1894–1954

Claude Cahun, ‘I Extend My Arms’ 1931 or 1932
I Extend My Arms 1931 or 1932
© The estate of Claude Cahun
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In Tate Britain

Prints and Drawings Rooms

5 artworks by Claude Cahun
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Biography

Claude Cahun (25 October 1894 – 8 December 1954), born Lucie Renee Mathilde Schwob, was a French photographer, sculptor and writer.

Lucie Renee Mathilde Schwob adopted the gender-ambiguous name Claude Cahun in 1917 and is best known for self-portraits, in which they assumed a variety of personae.

Cahun's work was both political and personal, and often undermined traditional concepts of static gender roles. In their autobiography, Disavowals, they explained, “Masculine? Feminine? It depends on the situation. Neuter is the only gender that always suits me.”

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Surrealism

Artworks

Claude Cahun, ‘I Extend My Arms’ 1931 or 1932

Claude Cahun I Extend My Arms

1931 or 1932
View by appointment
Claude Cahun, ‘Untitled’ 1936

Claude Cahun Untitled

1936
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Claude Cahun, ‘Untitled’ 1936

Claude Cahun Untitled

1936
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Claude Cahun, ‘Crystal Heads, British Museum, London, June-July 1936’ 1936

Claude Cahun Crystal Heads, British Museum, London, June-July 1936

1936
View by appointment
Claude Cahun, ‘Untitled’ 1936

Claude Cahun Untitled

1936
View by appointment

Film and audio

Unlock Art: Exploring the Surreal

Unlock Art: Exploring the Surreal

The Doctor travels through time to bring us the story of Surrealism

Unlock Art: Where are the Women?

Unlock Art: Where are the women?

Girls actress Jemima Kirke addresses the topic of women in art (or the lack them)

Features

Claude Cahun, ‘I Extend My Arms’ 1931 or 1932

MicroTate 36

Lubaina Himid and Peter C van Wyck

New reflections on two works in the Tate collection

Roni Horn Images from This is Me This is You 1998 to 2000

Faces that speak volumes: Roni Horn

Elisabeth Lebovici

Can a book with no text paint a portrait of a writer? Elisabeth Lebovici examines the challenging representation of identity ...

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