She saw the world differently – quietly, attentively, and with extraordinary depth

7 February – 28 June 2026

National Museum Cardiff, £10 – £16

Gwen John is one of Wales’ most extraordinary artists. In this issue, our Olion feature on Mary Lloyd Jones reflects on John as an inspirational force in her early career – a reminder of the quiet but enduring power of her influence.

John was bisexual in a time when LGBTQ+ rights did not exist. She refused to be what women were and still are expected to be. In worlds that are centuries apart, where men are still unaware of the great freedoms that they possess as they move through the world unfettered and unafraid, John’s work is as relevant today as it was when she was alive.

Gwen John: Strange Beauties is a once-in-a-generation exhibition, bringing together rarely seen works from Amgueddfa Cymru and collections from around the world to celebrate her 150th birthday. It is the first major collection of her work in over forty years. The exhibition tells her story as it has never been told before, revealing new ways of seeing her life and art, and celebrating an artist whose vision still feels strikingly modern today, very much a celebration of women and the bodies and lives that they inhabit.

This is an invitation to see the world through John’s eyes, to slow down, look closer and discover the wonder in her work. Unmissable, for both newcomers and devoted admirers alike.

Exhibition organised by Amgueddfa Cymru in partnership with National Galleries of Scotland, National Museum of Women in the Arts, and Yale Center for British Art.