Flight and aerial warfare have inspired new artistic perspectives throughout the 20th and 21st centuries. Taking as a starting point, the IWM collection artworks selected by Heather Phillipson for display alongside Out of This World, Rebecca Newell considers how artists have grappled with seen and unseen threats from the sky – and with aircraft, parachutes, balloons, clouds and light – to forge new forms of representation. Rebecca Newell has been IWM’s Head of Art since 2017, working on all aspects related to the care, display and interpretation of the museum’s preeminent art collection. She was lead curator for the Blavatnik Art, Film and Photography Galleries which opened at IWM London in November 2023, and also leads the IWM 14-18 NOW Legacy Fund art commissioning programme. With a background in art history and museology, she is part of the research-active staff community at IWM, engaging in research, publishing and exhibition projects to deepen understanding of war and its impact. Her current areas of research also include gender violence in conflict and marginalisation in the art collection. This event was part of a programme of activities to celebrate Heather Phillipson’s Out of this World exhibition. Mae hedfan a rhyfel yn yr awyr wedi ysbrydoli safbwyntiau artistig newydd drwy’r 20fed a’r 21ain ganrif. Gan ddechrau gyda gwaith celf casgliad yr Amgueddfa Ryfel Ymerodrol (IWM) a ddewiswyd gan Heather Phillipson i’w arddangos ochr yn ochr ag Out of this World, bydd Rebecca Newell yn ystyried sut y mae artistiaid wedi mynd i’r afael â bygythiadau gweladwy ac anweladwy o’r awyr – a cherbydau awyr, parasiwtiau, balŵns, cymylau a goleuni – i lunio mathau newydd o gynrychiolaeth. Mae Rebecca Newell wedi bod yn Bennaeth Celf yr IWM ers 2017, gan weithio ar bob agwedd sy’n ymwneud â gofalu am gasgliad celf rhagorol yr amgueddfa, yn ogystal â’u harddangos a’u dehongli. Bu’n guradur arweiniol ar gyfer Orielau Celf, Ffilm a Ffotograffiaeth Blavatnik a agorwyd yn IWM Llundain ym mis Tachwedd 2023 ac mae hi hefyd yn arwain rhaglen gomisiynu celf y Gronfa Waddol IWM 14-18 NOW. Gyda chefndir ym myd hanes celf ac astudiaethau amgueddfaol, mae hi’n rhan o’r gymuned staff sy’n weithredol o ran ymchwil yn IWM, gan gymryd rhan mewn ymchwil, cyhoeddi a phrosiectau arddangosfeydd er mwyn gwella dealltwriaeth o ryfel a’i effaith. Mae ei meysydd ymchwil presennol hefyd yn cynnwys trais ar sail rhywedd yn ystod gwrthdaro a gwthio pobl i’r ymylon yn y casgliad celf. Mae’r digwyddiad yn rhan o raglen o weithgareddau i ddathlu arddangosfa Out of this World Heather Phillipson.