Gender and the Arts

April 3rd, 2008

I would like to start a discussion about gender in the arts.

How is it possible that 70% of the students in artschool are female and it are mostly the male graduates who succeed?
What does the fact that the fine art department does not have a single female teacher in the permanent faculty say?
Should gender be an integrated part of your work?
Is it possible to be a woman an not deal with gender issues?
Do woman not have the ultimate need to create work because they can bare children, and create life?
Is this a sexist remark?

This are things that I was wondering about, being raised by a single mum in the eighties.

She has very Strong sense of being independent and thinks in terms of us and them. I like to regard myself as a human-being more than male or female. In my experience its however almost in possible not to particapate in the discussion about gender. Twist or turn I am a young woman, and my work will be percieved diffrently once this is known. should I hide, protest or just play along?

I’m curious about your opinion.

ps. Here is the link to the guerillagirls, it gives more statistics and a clear humours take on the curator’s and the art market.

http://www.guerrillagirls.com/interview/index.shtml