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According to the National Museum of Women in the Arts, 51 per cent of visual artists today are women. But
when it comes to exhibitions and gallery representation, the numbers tell a less optimistic story. In
London, for example, 78 per cent of the galleries represent more men than women, while only 5 per cent
represent an equal number of male and female artists.
And beyond the statistics, women artists and curators face unique challenges, from the subjects they bring
to light to the work they choose to present. As Tate Modern director Frances Morris has said, women have
been discriminated against for centuries, and major institutions have typically failed to support the
careers of women artists working on the margins. The number of women in the Tate collection is growing, and
half the rooms in the Natale Bell Building are currently devoted to a sole female artist, but work remains
to be done.
So what can we do to more fairly represent women in the arts? Should we strive for an equal split of men and
women artists? Do we rewrite the history books? Or is some other way?
Source: National Museum
of Women in the Arts: Learn about gender
inequity in the arts with some eye-opening facts