Women in Art - Conversation Piece

Abstract

“Conversation Piece” is a British Art Studies series that draws together a group of contributors to respond in 500 words to an idea, provocation or question. ‘Still Invisible?’ is a “Conversation Piece” coordinated by Patricia de Montfort (University of Glasgow) and Robyne Erica Calvert (The Glasgow School of Art) in Issue 2. It asks the question ‘Is the work of women artists on display in museums and galleries?’ British Art Studies is an online journal which is peer-reviewed, created by Paul Mellon Centre and the Yale Center for British Art. The other contributors include: Alice Strang (Senior curator, Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art); Joanna Meacock (Curator of British Art, Glasgow Museums); Sophie Hatchwell, University of Bristol); Hannah Williamson (Curator, Fine Art, Manchester City Galleries); Margaret F. MacDonald (Professor Emerita, University of Glasgow); Nadia Hebson (lecturer, Newcastle University); Alice Strickland (Curator for Imperial College Healthcare Charity); and Jan Marsh (Researcher, National Portrait Gallery, London). My contribution looks at the visibility of women artists in contemporary art, in terms of exhibitions and representation by commercial galleries. It asks the question if there are enough exhibitions with women artists; is there gender equality in statistics? Also, looking at the current trend for emphasising women artists in an exhibition, should it be explicitly 'badged', for example, an all woman show, or implicit in curatorial decision-making, at the point of programming .