Mission
The mission of the Women in Art Foundation is to increase equality of opportunity for women artists and to make art – in the broadest sense of the word – made by women more visible and accessible to a large (inter)national audience.
Vision
The Women in Art Foundation aims to improve the representation and appreciation of female artists.
Inclusion of art made by women is important for equality of opportunity and diversity in the art world. A better representation and appreciation of female artists will broaden and enrich the range of art.
Policy
The statutory policy of the Women in Art Foundation is to stimulate and present female artists and art made by women to a wide audience.
With the establishment of the Women in Art Foundation, we want to underline the national and international importance of our goal by organizing lectures, exhibitions, projects, workshops and events.
Mission statement written by Nicky Huisman
Chairman of the Women in Art Foundation
It is 2023 and the Women in Art Foundation is founded. There is a lot of attention for the subject of inclusion, equality of opportunity and gender equality. Still, the numbers are worrying. Art made by women and women in art are still underrepresented and undervalued in 2023. Worldwide.
In the documentary ‘White Balls on Walls’ by Het Uur van de Wolf, broadcasted by NPO on May 30, 2023, it became again painfully clear: the process of change towards more diversity and inclusivity within – in this case – the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam is a slow process, a careful search for the do’s and don’ts. The awareness and willingness to find a balance is present, but clearly still ‘work in process’.
The expression ‘White Balls on Walls’ comes from a banner made in 1995 by members of the Guerrilla Girls, who demonstrated in front of the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam together with students from the Rijksacademie. Reason for this demonstration was the exhibition ‘The American Perspective’. One hundred and twenty paintings from the Whitney Museum were placed next to one hundred works from the Stedelijk. Only two women were represented: Georgia O’Keefe and Agnes Martin. The slogan on the banner referred to The American Perspective as “White Balls on Walls,” indicating that institutions, including art museums, are dominated by white men who ignore the art of women or people of color.
The Guerrilla Girls is a group of anonymous women who protest wearing Gorilla masks “because it’s about the message and not about who they are”. Since their foundation in New York in 1985 (!) they have brought the gender gap (and social inequality) to the attention in an unmistakable way. Still, the numbers remain worrying to this day.
In October 2021, Het Parool writes about a study by ‘We Rise’ into female role models in the outdoor art in Amsterdam. The conclusion is again painful. 488 men and women are depicted on the 1640 works of art in the city, but a statue or work of art in the public space to honor an existing woman is hard to find. There are only 29, against 121 immortalized famous men.
On June 2, 2023, a 4 meter high bronze statue of a young woman, a woman of color, was placed in Rotterdam. And although she is anonymous, she became a role model for many Rotterdammers within 24 hours of being placed. Ánd subject to discussion, but that’s only a good thing. It is true that the statue was made by a man.
The European Parliament also paid attention to the subject and wrote a report in 2021 after doing research into gender equality in the art world and opens the document with the following remark: As in all other domains, women’s place in arts and culture has not matched their ambitions and skills.
The Women in Art Foundation sees it as its mission to increase equality of opportunity for female artists and to make art ~ in the broadest sense of the word ~ made by women more visible and accessible to a large (inter)national audience.
Let’s celebrate art made by women and women in art, provide them with a stage and inspire the next generation, starting with the Women in Art Exhibition, Sept 29 – Oct 1 at Equals Amsterdam.