Women-Only Art Exhibition in Australia: Art or Discrimination?
Hello and welcome!
I’ve been waiting for something exciting to happen in the art world so I could write another newsletter about art and trash — and finally, something interesting happened.
In Australia, a court allowed a curator to run an art exhibition exclusively for women, accepting the argument that the exclusion itself was part of an artistic response to discrimination experienced by women.
Interesting.
And potentially dangerous.
Because this creates a new kind of experience in the art world, where access to an exhibition can depend on who you are.
You’re not a woman?
No entry.
And once that idea exists, the obvious question is:
where does it stop?
Could we eventually have exhibitions only for Black visitors? Asian visitors? Muslims? Or any other specific group?
Is that good or bad?
Honestly, it’s both intriguing and slightly insane.
But then again, the art world has always loved things that are shocking, uncomfortable and controversial.
But there’s a problem…
Art could become even more closed off.
And is this really the best moment for experiments like this, when we’re already seeing declining interest in art — both financially and culturally?
Sotheby’s is struggling.
Collectors are becoming more cautious.
Artificial intelligence is challenging the idea of what art even is.
And meanwhile, some exhibitions are experimenting with telling part of the public:
you can’t come in.
Sotheby’s has reported an 88 per cent plunge in its core earnings and a 25 per cent decline in auction sales, as a chill in the art market hits one of the industry’s most famous brokers.
Weaker luxury spending in China is among the factors weighing on demand for fine art and affecting both Sotheby’s and historic rival Christie’s.
One of Sotheby’s marquee auctions fell short of expectations in May, when the winning bid for a Francis Bacon portrait of his lover George Dyer missed the low end of its $30mn–$50mn estimate.
Eight months ago, I predicted this topic.
And now here we are.
Penis, I don’t need you anymore.
Sorry.
...your worst artist and best friend,
I’ve been waiting for something exciting to happen in the art world so I could write another newsletter about art and trash — and finally, something interesting happened.
In Australia, a court allowed a curator to run an art exhibition exclusively for women, accepting the argument that the exclusion itself was part of an artistic response to discrimination experienced by women.
Interesting.
And potentially dangerous.
Because this creates a new kind of experience in the art world, where access to an exhibition can depend on who you are.
You’re not a woman?
No entry.
And once that idea exists, the obvious question is:
where does it stop?
Could we eventually have exhibitions only for Black visitors? Asian visitors? Muslims? Or any other specific group?
Is that good or bad?
Honestly, it’s both intriguing and slightly insane.
But then again, the art world has always loved things that are shocking, uncomfortable and controversial.
But there’s a problem…
Art could become even more closed off.
And is this really the best moment for experiments like this, when we’re already seeing declining interest in art — both financially and culturally?
Sotheby’s is struggling.
Collectors are becoming more cautious.
Artificial intelligence is challenging the idea of what art even is.
And meanwhile, some exhibitions are experimenting with telling part of the public:
you can’t come in.
Sotheby’s has reported an 88 per cent plunge in its core earnings and a 25 per cent decline in auction sales, as a chill in the art market hits one of the industry’s most famous brokers.
Weaker luxury spending in China is among the factors weighing on demand for fine art and affecting both Sotheby’s and historic rival Christie’s.
One of Sotheby’s marquee auctions fell short of expectations in May, when the winning bid for a Francis Bacon portrait of his lover George Dyer missed the low end of its $30mn–$50mn estimate.
Eight months ago, I predicted this topic.
And now here we are.
Penis, I don’t need you anymore.
Sorry.
...your worst artist and best friend,
hEhe and my contemporary art criticism
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All text, photo, and video materials belong to their owners and are for demonstration purposes only. Please do not use them in commercial projects.
