Isla Phillips-Ewen

Author

Isla graduated with a first class BA in Classics from the University of Cambridge in 2018. After university she spent a year in Japan, where she interned as a curatorial assistant at the Fukuoka Asian Arts Museum. Recently, Isla completed a History of Art MA with Distinction at Birkbeck College, University of London. She currently lives in London with her husband, siamese cats and baby.

Articles by Isla

Ancient Greece

Timeless Beauty: Ancient Greek Athletes in Art

The idea of timeless beauty is fascinating. Also, it’s a great concern for lovers of art history. Conceptions of beauty in Western art history...

Isla Phillips-Ewen 9 June 2025

Contemporary Art

Masterpiece Story: My Bed by Tracey Emin

My Bed is an iconic and seminal artwork by British artist Tracey Emin. It was created over 20 years ago and despite its age, it is still one of...

Isla Phillips-Ewen 16 April 2025

Medieval Art

Holy Week in Art: Easter Explained in Paintings

To celebrate the Christian festival of Easter, here is the story of Holy Week and Easter explained in paintings. Palm Sunday Stained glass...

Isla Phillips-Ewen 14 April 2025

Group of three figurines, Early Cycladic II, early spedos type, museum number K9, Badisches Landesmuseum, Karlsruhe, Germany. Detail. Ancient Art

Demystifying Cycladic Figurines

Cycladic figurines have a mythical aura. Their gleaming abstract forms speak of timeless beauty. But what actually are they? Why do they look like a...

Isla Phillips-Ewen 7 April 2025

art for crawling babies Art State of Mind

Art for Babies—What Crawlers Could Do in the Art World

In the previous article, Artworks Your Infant Will Enjoy, we encouraged you to turn gallery trips into sensory classes for your newborn. While these...

Isla Phillips-Ewen 2 April 2025

Art State of Mind

Art for Babies—Artworks Your Infant Will Enjoy

Art is for everyone, even newborns! Parents who love art can still enjoy museums and galleries with their little ones and the little pre-crawlers are...

Isla Phillips-Ewen 2 April 2025

Erotica

Venus Vincit Omnia: Venus in Art

Venus (also known by her Greek name Aphrodite) is the goddess of love. We’ve explored some famous Venuses here. Furthermore, Velázquez’s...

Isla Phillips-Ewen 3 March 2025

Sport

Football in Art and Art in Football

The spheres of art history and football may not seem inherently connected. Yet, football holds a cherished place within culture, serving as both a...

Isla Phillips-Ewen 5 February 2025

Masterpiece Stories

Masterpiece Story: Fons Americanus by Kara Walker

Kara Elizabeth Walker, born in 1969, is an American contemporary artist. She is known as a painter, silhouettist, print-maker, installation artist,...

Isla Phillips-Ewen 2 February 2025

Women Artists

Noguchi Shōhin: The First Female Imperial Household Artist in Japan

Noguchi Shōhin (野口 小蘋) (1847–1917) was a leading Japanese painter from the Edo (1603–1867) and Meiji eras (1868–1912). She was born in...

Isla Phillips-Ewen 14 January 2025