“You’re seeing less than half the picture…without the vision of women artists and artists of color.” This was a declaration from renowned feminist collective, the Guerilla Girls, in a 1989 piece from the series Guerrilla Girls Talk Back. Another from the collection read: “When racism and sexism are no longer fashionable, what will your art collection be worth?” The provocative message is typical of the anonymous group, who used posters, public art, newsletters and stickers to draw attention to discrimination in contemporary culture. It has been more than thirty years since they created the series, but today the message is still alarmingly relevant. There are 3,050 galleries in the Artsy database, a leading marketplace for the world’s emerging and established creatives. Of these institutions, 10% do not represent a single female artist. In 2018, a mere 25% of the 27,000 individuals shown at art fairs were women. That year, sales totaled $16.5 billion. The international art scene continues to fall short on issues of diversity and inclusion, and more needs to be done to ensure every creative has equal opportunity and platform.
That’s what makes the Women in Art Fair such an important moment in the cultural calendar. The annual event, founded in 2023, is dedicated to redressing the gender imbalance in the industry. It is an opportunity for female artists, curators and gallerists to contribute to the developing exchange of ideas around gender, sexuality and culture. This year’s Fair, located at Gallery Oxo, London, will see more than 100 standout pieces on display, whittled down from two thousand applications. Together, they present a fascinating and nuanced snapshot of contemporary art. Many deal with the female form, family, motherhood and relationships, whilst others are works of abstraction, with several ceramics and sculptures joining this year’s selection. The exhibiting creatives are as diverse as the art on display, ranging in age from 20 to 70-years-old and with nationalities including Japanese and Palestinian. Director and Founder of the Fair Jacqueline Harvey says: “our aim is to be as inclusive and diverse as possible. Our mission is to break down those barriers that are still blocking true gender and race equality in the arts.”
Each artist brings a nuanced and varied perspective of gender identity, viewing what it means to be a woman through their own creative and personal lens. Award-winning photographer Elisa Miller uses a vintage and colourful aesthetic to explore questions of identity and self-perception. Miller was shortlisted for the Aesthetica Art Prize in 2021. She uses light and elaborate settings to analyse psyche with a cinematic framework. The shots are like something taken straight from a classic Hitchcock film. They feature characters whose floral dresses and domestic settings are contrasted by their haunted and anguished expressions. In one particularly arresting image, a blonde figure in a red evening dress lies on a patterned carpet. There are makeup products, hair care items and leaflets advertising “simplest ever way to slim” scattered around her head. It is a visual manifestation of the endlessly shifting and unattainable beauty standards that have plagued women throughout history. Miller titles her works in an equally impactful way, with The Beauty Clock and Cigarette for Breakfast mimicking clichéd phrases or advice.
The Fair also offers an impressive display of sculpture, painting and ceramics. Through these works, which are imbued with deep political, social and cultural resonance, audiences are invited to acknowledge the realities of inequality, demand action and imagine a more hopeful future. Pakistani artist Zainab Anwar’s vibrant paintings capture the messy, complicated and joyful realities of female life. Taking Back Girlhood depicts two people – an adult and a young girl – sat in front of a smashed vase of flowers. Their expressions bring back memories of childhood mischief and games gone awry. In an interview with Arab News, Anwar explains why it is important for her to display not only female, but also South Asian, culture: “I began drawing darker-skinned and hairy women because I felt these were characteristics that brown women were shamed for. I saw girls in school bully each other over such beauty standards, Arab and South Asian girls alike.” Elsewhere, ceramicist Suzanne Dolan follows a similar thread of laying bare experiences that are often sanitised or ignored by mainstream media. Her intricate pieces depict being a mother with humour and honesty, her young characters so animated they seem like they could jump from the surface.
This year also sees the inaugural Women in Art Fair Prize, which will be announced on the event’s opening night. The three winning artists receive financial support to develop their practice. The 2025 jury brings together influential figures from across the arts: Alison Mosshart, celebrated musician, artist, and lead singer of The Kills and The Dead Weather; artist Vanessa Raw; as well as curator, art dealer, and cultural strategist Virginia Damtsa. The three-day Fair will also include a talks programme featuring a range of names from the world of art and curation.
At its heart, Women in Art Fair is a powerful and resonant vision of a more inclusive, diverse and accepting art world. It is a testament to the creativity and ingenuity of female creatives, offering visitors the chance to engage with the nuances, challenges and unabashed joys of womanhood. It stands as an important cultural bastion of inclusion and diversity in a present-day society that often feels resistant to these values. Here, we see the blueprint for a future that does not restrict creativity on the grounds of gender, race or identity, but celebrates the richness of their voices, ideas and perspectives.
Women in Art Fair is at Gallery Oxo, London 19 – 21 June: womeninartfair.com
Image Credits:
The Beauty Clock, Elisa Miller.
Contact Lost, Elisa Miller.
Cigarette for Breakfast, Elisa Miller.
What’s Love Got To Do With It, Elisa Miller.
Torero, Elisa Miller.
