‘WOMAN #31’ AT THE ROYAL SCOTTISH ACADEMY
200th Annual Exhibition
9 May – 14 June 2026, Edinburgh – Scotland
Following previous inclusions, Woman #31 from the Denied series is now part of the Royal Scottish Academy’s 200th Annual Exhibition, open to the public until 14 June 2026.
Woman #31
Brass and antique spoon
23 × 16 × 12 cm
2023
| The Denied series is a commentary on the silenced narrative of women, on the historical denial of women to reach their full potential due to patriarchal constraints.
Prieto uses collected objects of the past, understatedly arresting in their beauty and craftsmanship, their chipped metalwork or well handled surfaces conjuring images of past hands. These objects of action and purpose are immobilised, suspended in an entrapment that represents the invisible cages in which women have found themselves across history. Each metal bar illustrates the barriers put between women and their aspirations, lines of control and denial.
Prieto carefully creates a purposeful frame which imprisons the object in mid air, hovering on the brink of action. It mirrors the frustration felt by women as their own actions have been halted by imposed roles, society, and the patriarchy. Yet women have always been determined, as these objects are, to break free. A small part always succeeds in escaping the cage. For despite their obstructions, women will continue to push through the barriers, albeit an inch at a time.
200th Annual Exhibition
Royal Scottish Academy
The Mound
Edinburgh EH2 2EL
Mon to Sat 10am – 5pm
Sun 12 – 5pm | Free entry
