If you read my post a few weeks ago you saw the statistics on women who are employed in galleries and museums. This has been slowly increasing but not as quickly as it should be. There are a many men holding positions in the museum and who have been holding on to those positions for many years.
Because the art jobs are fewer and highly competitive they’re harder to attain, and there is a natural reluctance to change. Many might stay at the same museum position for 15 or more years.
In 2019, Frieze Magazine wrote an article about Kaywin Feldman. She is the first woman Director of the National Gallery of Art; in the galleries seventy-seven-year history.
Even though this happened five years ago it is still worthy of celebration. The National Gallery of Art is the one of the most visited museums in the United States. Her predecessor Earl A. Powell III held the position for twenty-seven years. Yes, you read that right! And before that another J. Carter Brown was the director for twenty-three years. Half a century occupied by two men.
It might be time to shorten these terms to open museums up to fresh leadership and ideas. It lends itself to diversity, equality, and fresh perspectives on art.
‘I’m a feminist, and I have long advocated for gender equality, so it’s really exciting for me to be able to lead the nation’s art museum.’
Kaywin Feldman, Director of National Gallery of Art
More recently the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago (MCA) named Courtney Rowe as their Chief of Strategy and Board Relations Officer. LinkedIn posted an article on October 8th, 2024, with the announcement. Amazing for the Art world and women!
Rowe is listed on the Crain’s Chicago Business website as one of Chicago’s “People on the Move”. It is great to read and see that the Art and Business worlds are collaborating and celebrating women. Celebrating women who are changing the landscape of these workplaces.
Women are showing their artwork more on the walls of museums too. I would like to think this is because more women are behind the scenes promoting, supporting, and pushing to be inclusive, equal, and diverse.
The National Museum of Women in the Arts (NMWA) published an article titled, New Worlds:Women to Watch 2024. It highlights an exhibition at the museum from April to August of female artists from around the world. The museum used this exhibit to highlight these artists and as a grand opening exhibit after a major renovation. What a wonderful way to honor these artists and to give them a brand-new canvas to show their work on.
What is even cooler about this exhibit is that there will be seven of them in total, presented every three years. The New Worlds: Women to Watch 2024 is the first of the exhibitions.
Additionally, there are collaborations around the country to help to promote and celebrate women through the “series featuring underrepresented and emerging women artists.”
The California College of Arts hosted emerging artist, Nikki Green. Lindsay Wright, Director of Integrated Communications for the college wrote a press release that discusses Green’s work, San Francisco’s advocacy and partnership with the NMWA, and the college. She also goes into more detail about the New World’s art installation that took place March to May in 2023.
Let’s talk local…
In May 2024 the North Carolina Museum of Art (NCMA) hosted an Indigenous Peoples art exhibition that ran from March 2nd – July 28th. The exhibit was not solely female artists, but, importantly, it was curated by a female Lumbee tribe member Nancy Strickland Fields. Her curation of “To Take Shape and Meaning” for the museum is significant, and it’s appropriate that many discovered it via Minda Lou’s article Lumbee Woman Curates Expansive NC Museum of Art Native Culture Exhibit for Kiss Radio. Both huge wins for North Carolina, diversity, and women.
“To Take Shape and Meaning: Form and Design in Contemporary American Indian Art” is a groundbreaking exhibition at the North Carolina Museum of Art (NCMA) that celebrates the rich diversity and creativity of Indigenous artists from across the United States and Canada. This exciting event was organized by guest curator Nancy Strickland Fields (Lumbee), and the exhibition features works by 75 artists from over 50 tribes, showcasing a wide range of mediums and artistic expressions.
By Minda Lou, i kiss radio midday host on WKML 95.7
Even though some of these exhibits are over it is important to recognize that they happened and recently. If you’re interested in finding more, check google or your favorite social media platform for
#upcomingfemaleartistsexhibitions #emergingfemaleartists #womentowatch
Or, check out some new podcasts I recently discovered and have been keenly listening to. The first is Great Women Artists by Katy Hessel, recommended to me by one of my artist girlfriends. The other is Death of an Artist which documents heartbreaking true stories about overshadowed female artists, the subject of my last post Where we were: Female Artists Overshadowed by their Famous Husbands.
Until next time on @glasscanvas!
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See you in a few weeks- M.E.
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