Saying you're a feminist is a confronting thing to say, even in this day and age when women have come out of the dungaree s and can say that they care about women's rights with lady danger red lip stick on, but it's tricky isn't it? I don't want to isolate the other species...men, whom I am very fond of, and who have given me lots of support over the years.
I decided to write this blog about the need for more equity in the arts for women, as a feminist, and as a living, breathing artist with a paint brush in my hand, not some dried up academic with a paint brush up the butt. I'm lucky enough to have been able to create my passion into a full time gig, and I'm aware that it is fortunate for any artist, man or woman. So I want to approach this from the angle, not that I've been a victim, or that women are victims, but rather that things could be improved.
I always wanted to be a pioneer. When I was little I wanted to be the first woman to climb Mt Everest..... that is until I saw that your fingers could turn black and fall off! So this will have to do. If I have one thing to do before I am done on this earth it will be to have another go as the GORILLA GIRLS did back in the 70's of evening up the stakes.
So if things are not balanced in the art world, where are all the women that I studied with? I've been told by a professor that women gravitate towards teaching careers instead, or that they have children, and that hampers them, but it still doesn't answer it, as many women have careers, and babies and do fine in other professions, and many successful artists both men and women taught me, so that doesn't cut it either. The truth is that it's still a boys club out there, and a lot of boys form friendships, and then leg each other up, which a lot of women just don't get the benefit of, or get the blokey culture of the art world. Got it Maaate!
In any case, I want to add something positive to this debate. I've answered emails from women asking for advice on how to pursue their artistic careers, some have told me that I have saved them, inspired them, and that's something I never thought I'd ever hear. I thought I was pursuing pretty much the most selfish and indulgent thing possible, and was taken aback that I had any influence over people at all, so now that a few people have told me that they enjoy my writing, and haha read it, I'm going to talk about something that's important to me.
I am fully aware that just talking about it won't solve inequality, but you have to raise people's awareness of situations to even begin to have a conversation. When I have suggested to some people that the Archibald Prize should have a 50/50 male to woman split instead of the general figures which are on average 10 women to 30 men, it was implied that the gene pool of female talent may not be strong enough to create such a resolution. Or people have said that the issue isn't black and white.
As a lover of contemporary art, I find a lot of the work in the Archibald not really my cup of tea, however for arguments sake I'd like to know how many women entered out of the 834. If it was 424, which I would say it would have to be considering the amount of women who study art far out weigh the men, then to give them only 10 places, year after year, is not only unequal it's sexist.
I'm sure museums and galleries had the same hesitation about increasing the numbers of female artists represented in their institutions, when they were lampooned by the Gorilla Girls, when it first came to light how poorly represented women were. Well we have moved on from there, and there are more female artists in the museums, and the gallery system, and nobody takes any notice any more, because it is now the norm. But it is still not equal. Finally after it has been pointed out some more, there will be equality. It will be the norm, but not if you don't stand up for it!
Until then girls, don't just hide away in a studio by yourself, the arts is all about connection. If you have been helped by others on your way up, don't forget to offer support to artists just coming up, especially those whose work you believe in. Form a group and leg yourselves up!
Many great points you make here Mia! It doesn't make sense at all to me. As a high school Visual Art teacher of 9 years...and now a full time artist too (yippee) I have always struggled to keep male student numbers in my classes above the number of females. It's certainly not a feminine subject to study and yet male artists still seem to dominate in prizes such as the Archibald. I do however think there are many more opportunities coming up for us girls though...but we certainly can help ourselves by making even more opportunities for ourselves and definitely for each other. Rock on sister! xx
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