Amplify with Alexandra Steinacker-Clark |Female-Led Galleries Changing the Tides for Women in Art
Barbara von Stechow. Image courtesy Galerie Barbara von Stechow
International Women's Day (IWD): A Brief History
International Women's Day (IWD) began in the early 20th century when women were campaigning for their rights due to a growing unrest over gender inequality. It was first marked in the U.S. in 1909 as a National Women’s Day and gained international recognition in 1910 when German activist Clara Zetkin proposed a global Women's Day at a conference in Copenhagen. The first official IWD was celebrated in 1911 with March 8th established as its fixed date in 1913, officially being recognised by the UN in 1975. Throughout the years, the day has held annual themes focusing on celebrating women’s achievements, raising awareness of gender inequality, mobilising action for a more inclusive world, and fostering solidarity amongst people of all genders in support of women’s rights and gender equality worldwide (1).
Women in Art
However, in the arts, we still have a gap to close for gender equity on both the art market front for works by female artists, as well as on the professional career front. Looking at a report by Dr. Kate McMillan from 2018, 66% of applications to postgraduate study in the creative arts and design sector were by women, whereas with an almost inverse ratio, 63% of the most senior staff were male (2). The findings also reported that male artists held the majority of auction sales at 88%, with only 3% of the highest grossing sales being by female artists. Ouch!
If we observe a more recent report, things are looking up: Artsy’s Women Artists Market Report 2024 showed that although women artists’ works accounted for just 9% of the auction market in 2022, amongst younger age groups and ultra-contemporary artists (so, artists born in or after 1975), women artists’ works accounted for 44% of auction sales (3). Even more recent is the Art Basel and UBS Survey of Global Collecting published a few months ago, focusing on 2023 and the first 6 months of 2024 (4). Within the report, we see that the majority of high-net-worth individuals are supporting new and emerging artists, and the share of works by female artists rose to 44% (the highest in seven years, and funnily enough the same percentage as the Artsy auction market reportings from 2022).
However, we have not yet reached a point of equitable representation, not by a long shot. Observing the future purchasing predictions and outlook within the UBS Survey, wider concerns regarding the art market’s diversity, in relation to gender but also artists from different regional backgrounds, was not ranked as a top concern amongst collectors last year: “Only 31% were moderately or very concerned that there was an under-representation of some minority races in the art market at present, with the remainder not concerned (33%) or neutral (36%) (5.).” When reading on, it becomes apparent there is still work to be done as, “Some commented that they felt there had been an overfocus on gender and racial diversity in the market discussions in recent years that had taken away from the focus on merit, innovativeness, and other issues”. Although a positive shift, 44% representation for women and less concern for diversity and inclusion should not be the glass ceiling for representation in the arts. The fight for equality is inherently intersectional, and although for the purposes of this column I am focussing on female-led galleries and female-identifying artists, diversity on all levels is fundamental to achieving a more equitable arts landscape.
Pien Rademakers Portrait, Courtesy Rademakers Gallery
Changing the Tides
Female leadership is a key component in working towards a more equitable art world, with representation on all levels, including in directorship and management roles. In The Second Sex by Simone de Beauvoir, she writes, “Representation of the world, like the world itself, is the work of men; they describe it from their own point of view, which they confuse with the absolute truth.” When we observe our society’s structure, an inherently male status quo exists - from executive leadership positions in companies all the way down to the seat belt design in cars (6). Looking at the efforts that have made a difference in the last few years in the arts, I ask myself what we can do to keep the momentum and continue to tip the scales for a more inclusive art world. I believe female-led businesses are key to continuing this positive shift.
At VOLTA 2024, a major focus on women-led galleries shone through with over 50% of exhibiting galleries at the fair being precisely that. Amongst them were Barbara von Stechow from Frankfurt Germany, Wunika Mukan from Lagos, Nigeria, Rademakers, from The Netherlands and, one of them was London based Gillian Jason Gallery. I was delighted to interview the Director, Millie Jason Foster, on the All About Art Podcast back in 2023. We spoke about the intergenerational angle of the gallery, and the ways in which the legacy her grandmother, Gillian Jason, built when founding the gallery in the late 20th century defines how Millie approaches the business and exhibition programme today.
Wunika Mukan Gallery at VOLTA Basel 2024
Gillian Jason Gallery at VOLTA Basel 2024
Gillian Jason, Millie’s grandmother, founded the gallery in the 1980’s to deal in what is now known as Modern British art. Carrying the ethos from Gillian by only exhibiting female artists, the gallery’s programme tips the scales in a positive direction towards women in the art market. Millie is one of five sisters, thus there is a huge female presence in her family, as all of her sisters, herself included, have been trying to find their way as women in today's society. Although there was a possibility to focus on the women artists her grandmother had supported in her time, there are still so many women coming up in the art world today who deserve the support to build longevity in their careers.
Millie stated in my interview with her, “I don’t believe you can deal with Modern British art and the secondary market and say that you're championing women without giving a nod to today's contemporary issues. (7)” Three generations of women have managed this gallery, deeply imbued with the spirit of International Women’s Day through not only how the gallery has been run throughout the last four decades, but also in who they choose to build their programme around. Their most recent exhibition After Leonora: Echoes of Surrealism is a testament to the approach to art through an intergenerational female lens, with Leonora Carrington, a major artist in the surrealist movement in the 20th century, exhibiting alongside eight contemporary female artists, all born in the 1980’s or later (8).
Whilst International Women's Day has significantly contributed to raising awareness around gender equality, the art sector still requires focused efforts to bridge the gap between representation and acknowledgment of female artists. The progress reported in recent years underscores a positive shift, yet it remains imperative to continue the momentum by empowering women within the arts. Galleries with female leadership and an intergenerational approach, like Gillian Jason Gallery, serve as vital examples of how dedicated support for female artists can foster a more fair art market. VOLTA contributes to that representation by providing a platform for these galleries as well as an access point for collectors to engage with art by women artists, encouraging a more equitable industry standard while creating a legacy that champions future generations of women in the creative fields. Through ongoing advocacy and celebration of women's contributions to the arts, we can strive toward a future where gender equity is the standard rather than the exception.
International Women’s Day, Learn about International Women’s Day (IWD) (available at https://www.internationalwomensday.com/About-IWD)
McMillan, Kate, New Report Reveals Stark Gender Disparity in the Visual Arts, King’s College London, 2019 (available at https://www.kcl.ac.uk/news/new-report-reveals-stark-gender-disparity-in-the-visual-arts)
Lesser, Casey, The Women Artists Market Report 2024, Artsy.Net, March 7 2024, (available at: https://www.artsy.net/article/artsy-editorial-women-artists-market-report-2024)
Top 10 findings from the Art Basel and UBS Survey of Global Collecting 2024, Art Basel, October 24, 2024 (available at https://www.artbasel.com/stories/10-findings-art-basel-ubs-survey-of-global-collecting-2024?lang=en)
The Art Basel and UBS Survey of Global Collecting 2024, UBS, p. 189 (available for download at: https://www.ubs.com/global/en/our-firm/art/art-market-insights/download-collectors-survey-report-2024.html)
Elsesser, Kim, Will Female Crash Dummies Improve Road Safety For Women? The Answer is Complicated, Forbes, February 20, 2024 (available at https://www.forbes.com/sites/kimelsesser/2024/02/20/will-female-crash-dummies-improve-road-safety-for-women-the-answer-is-complicated/)
All About Art Podcast, Ripping Up The Art Market Rulebook with Millie Jason Foster, Director of Gillian Jason Gallery, 28. July 2023 (available at https://open.spotify.com/episode/4Fkf9nRXQ0kcNtJSJtpI2k?si=1634ea4c1966454d)
After Leonora: Echoes of Surrealism, Gillian Jason Gallery, 2024 (available at https://www.gillianjason.com/exhibitions/33-after-leonora-echoes-of-surrealism/)
Amplify is a new, monthly column produced by VOLTA and written by Alexandra Steinacker-Clark. Sign up to the VOLTA newsletter to receive it to your inbox.