In both the historical and contemporary art world, the dominance of men’s work in auctions, galleries, and museums worldwide is a reality. What is the reason for this gender gap? Is there an inherent bias among buyers and curators, or are institutional barriers hindering the careers of female artists? A recent study conducted by the Yale School of Management suggests that while art collectors may have an unbiased assessment of artists’ work, institutions remain an obstacle for women in the art world.
The 2024 theme of International Women’s Day is to Inspire Inclusion. I wanted to look at five well-known Hamilton, Ontario galleries that represent contemporary, practicing artists and see what that gender divide looks like. Will Hamilton see the same results as that Yale study, or has our city begun the work to close that gender divide? How can we inspire inclusion in our artistic communities?
Hamilton Gallery representation by gender
Using artificial intelligence (AI), I took a look at the assumed gender of contemporary artists being represented by Earls Court Gallery, AGH Art Sales, McMaster Fine Art (Contemporary and emerging artists), Crown & Press, and Carnegie Gallery. Since AI was making an assumption of gender based on first name, this will not be 100% accurate. It does not account for non-binary people and there is also the possibility it misattributed someone’s gender.
Here’s a look at the gender division for women and men at each of those galleries:
If we look at aggregate numbers, once removing artists being represented at multiple galleries, here’s what representation by gender in Hamilton looks like:
Although I can’t be sure, some potential reasons Hamilton may not be experiencing the same institutional biases found in the Yale study could be we have a more inclusive cultural scene and an art community that fosters supportive networks.
While it’s great to see women represented in Hamilton galleries, our work for inclusion has just begun. In 2020, Ibrahim Abusitta tallied BIPOC (black, indigenous, and other people of colour) artists represented by commercial galleries in Toronto and found that only 12.55% were artists from BIPOC communities. I would suspect Hamilton isn’t much better.
Why diversity and inclusion matters in the arts
Put simply, art is part of the historical narrative. We know that history told from one perspective is both incomplete and harmful.
We can’t forget how artists’ diverse social and political identities, such as gender, race, class, and disability, intersect to shape their opportunities. This could impact an artist’s ability to participate in our historical narrative. Recognizing and addressing these intersecting forms of discrimination and privilege is crucial for creating a more inclusive and equitable art world.
How can we improve diversity and inclusion in the arts?
Diversity and inclusion in the arts enrich artistic expression, expand perspectives, and foster greater social understanding and empathy among viewers.
We can work together to improve diversity by supporting galleries that make it part of their mission statement to support diversity and inclusion. Hamilton also has an Arts Advisory Commission that prioritizes diversity and connection within the arts community you could potentially get involved with.
Not everyone has the budget to support artists directly, but even something as simple as interacting with social media content can help. Social media algorithms are not without bias, we need to intentionally seek out diverse artists to follow. That said, you read this far. That makes me believe you’re a person who would like to see a more equitable art world and are willing to take extra steps!
Tell me in the comments, what do you think can be done to inspire inclusion in the art world?
