WHERE ARE THE WOMEN IN VISUAL ARTS?

From continuous research on artists’ representation in galler ies and at art sales, it has become more noticeable that women are less visible in the art scenes. Female artists are underrepresented in the markets and in the discourse, and seem to be less recognized than their male colleagues. How many female names ring the same bell as Bruce Onobrakpeya, Jeff Koons, Kehinde Wiley, Banksy, Yinka Shonibare, Ai Wei Wei , El Anatsui, Jackson Pollock or Yusuf Grillo? Obviously, there are great female artists, but somehow they are not as known and as recognized as their male contemporaries.

Auction lists, for instance, were studied to see how many women artists featured in the 2012 -2013 top 100 auction sales ranked by price. There

were none. And only 5 percent of the London galleries presented an equal number of male and female artists. At the last auction on contemporary African art by Bonhams this October, only seven female artists were placed in the auction lots with a total of works by 5 1 male artists.

Interestingly, a quick look at the 2013 auction analysis in the UK shows gender gap in art schools is the opposite of gender representation in galleries. There are always more female students in creative arts (as well as the creative industries) than one finds later in the creative market. In Nigeria, this is not the case. The numbers of women in art schools are not impressive and it drops further as they move into the creative market. This observation makes one to ask, are women generally not interested in visual arts both at the university level and in the real world unlike other areas of the creative industries? E.g Fashion.

We are asking the question “Where Are the Women in Visual Arts?” not because we do not know there are women practicing art or involved in the curatorial and management process of art business. We are asking this question to bring the attention of people to these women and their input in the art sector, in a highly patriarchal system.

  

Our dialogue will be guided by the questions listed below.

o Does raising awareness on the issue of gender imbalance in art take away attention from the talent of women artists?

o Do we (all stakeholders involved) assess the economic value of the works of female artists without bias?

o Are curators and art managers conscious of gender in their decisions of who and what they present and represent? Should they be?

o Is gender imbalance in art another reflection of a patriarchal economic system?

o What role has education to shape the direction of young female students in art studies with regards to choice of art form?

o Do clients of artists – auction houses, collectors, galleries - play a role in gender discrimination in art?

o What is the role of the media and art writers in creating and balancing visibility for all artists?

The status quo can be changed across all levels (from school to art market)

if we identify the barriers that are holding women back and find solutions together. Importantly, we want to bring this discussion to the consciousness of decision makers – men and women - who can bring change.

 “Give the same opportunity to your men and women (boys and girls) to flourish!” – Graca Machel, Humanitarian.

 ABOUT ART FORUM AFRICA

 Art Forum Africa (AFA) is a new platform for discourse on matters that concerns artists, curators, collectors, the government, art and culture managers, and others that are involved in art in Africa.

Art Forum Africa presents an opportunity for all players in the arts to discuss and create collective solutions to topics that are now often only discussed in small clusters. These are issues that affects us all, whether it is the artist or the professionals that work to bring the creative achievements in Africa to the forefront.

More so, the increasing presence of art from Africa in global discourses makes it necessary for all gatekeepers to channel their energy and resources to the development of art practices and to building sustainable structures. In as much as there is a dynamic scene in Nigeria, Lagos especially, traditional, psychological, and policy barriers unnecessarily limit possibilities and achievements. Amongst these limitations are structural problems that are traceable to, for instance, lack of support from governments, absence of public art and involvement of the Nigerian public, lack of individual and collective