BERENICE SYDNEY British, 1944–1983 Dance of Autumnal Forms,1973 Oil on canvas. Signed and dated "8' 73" (October 1973) lower left hand corner. Expansive abstract painting featuring a dense, rhythmic field of overlapping, jagged shapes that suggest a "vortex-like" or organic movement, reminiscent of falling leaves or shifting light. The artist utilizes a sophisticated palette dominated by deep purples, teals, and earthy browns, layered with hundreds of color mutations that create a sense of kinesthetic visual experience. Framed. DIMENSIONS: 48 x 48 inches; frame: 49.5 x 49.5 inches $1,500-2,500
ARTIST PROFILE: Berenice Sydney (1944–1983), born Berenice Frieze, was a prolific British artist whose multifaceted career spanned painting, printmaking, costume design, and performance. Educated at the Lycée Français in London and self-taught in the visual arts after leaving the Central School of Art and Design, she balanced her studio practice with a deep passion for ballet, classical guitar, and flamenco dance—disciplines that infused her work with a distinct sense of rhythm and "kinesthetic" energy. Her artistic evolution moved from figurative drawings rooted in Greek, Persian, and Christian mythology to large-scale, vibrant abstractions that explored "vortex-like" compositions and color mutations reminiscent of the work of Bridget Riley. A highly accomplished linguist and printmaker, Sydney experimented extensively with etching and serigraphy, often using multiple colors on a single plate influenced by Stanley William Hayter. Despite her tragic death from an asthma attack at age 39, her legacy was cemented by a major memorial exhibition at the Royal Academy in 1984, and her work remains held in over 100 private and public collections worldwide, including the Tate and the Bibliothèque Nationale.
