The life story of Leonora Carrington is so fascinating that I am dumbfounded as to why it hasn’t been made into a film or multi-episode limited series.  As a film it screams “Oscar bait” and as a limited series it would fit perfectly into the current trend of glamorous, yet provocatively emotional prestige television.

That said, there is one timely pop culture phenomenon that seems to be a kindred spirit of sorts to the artwork and life story of Leonora Carrington. I am obviously speaking of the MCU series on Disney+ called WandaVision.  I say obviously because the similarities in themes and metaphors between the art historical Leonora Carrington and the pop culture Wanda Maximoff are blatant and profound… if you know what to look for!

WandaVision is a nine-episode series set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe not long after the events of the film Avengers: Endgame.  To avoid as many spoilers as possible for both Avengers:Endgame and WandaVision, I will simply make a few suggestions as to what symbols to look for in the series and the themes from Wanda’s experiences in the MCU that connect with Leonora’s in the real world.

For example, in the very first episode of WandaVision, titled “Filmed Before a Live Studio Audience,” we see that Wanda must use her “enhanced” abilities to magically create an elaborate dinner party complete with multi-course meal and formal dining arrangements.  Leonora Carrington repeatedly uses the motifs of cooking in a kitchen and the act of sitting down to an elaborate dinner as expressions of ritual and alchemy.  In fact, Leonora believed (and practiced!) the act of cooking food, making art and making magic as a vital, interconnected expression of a new, feminist Holy Trinity.

All that sounds pretty esoteric and theoretical for a show on Disney+, but for me, all the dots are there and simply need connecting.

If you would like to view the WandaVision series through an art historical lens, here are some additional themes and metaphors that pertain to Leonora Carrington’s life and artwork to consider…

1. Symbols of witchcraft, alchemy, magic, and the use of runes.
2. The theme of familial loss and the trauma that accompanies it.
3. The difficulty of processing grief in a healthy way.
4. Coping with PTSD.
5. Managing mental health issues.
6. The feeling of being trapped and needing to escape (consider Leonora Carrington’s motifs of maps and labyrinths).
7. The definition of family.
8. The idea of creating the life you really want at all cost.
9. Personal acceptance or finding one’s life purpose.