5 simple ways to support women artists ... and why it matters
Profile of Laurence de Valmy, artist
French-born artist Laurence de Valmy sees her life’s work as a “call to action” to raise awareness of the role of women in art history. She’s an anachronistic artist whose famous Art Stories depict historical art painted as Instagram posts. She has lent her support and voice to many women’s art organizations, such as Art Girl Rising and the National Museum Women In The Arts Wikipedia edit-a-thon (the latter an initiative to promote and establish art history and encourage gender equality in the arts and Wikipedia.)
According to the National Museum of Women in the Arts: Only 13% of artists historically represented in American museums are women. Only 30% of the artists represented in galleries in the United States are women.
Learn and share
“One of the first steps to achieve equality is the recognition of women artists of the past. Knowing our past is the only way to build a better future for women artists and therefore it is crucial to acknowledge their work and raise awareness about them,” says de Valmy.
There are many resources on women artists of the past and present. Here are a few of de Valmy’s favorites.
Mollieebarnes.com She Curates
Movies
Frida (2002)
Georgia O'Keeffe (2009)
Big Eyes (2014)
Berthe Morisot (2012, French)
Camille Claudel (1988, French)
The Fabulous Life Of Elisabeth Vigée Lebrun (2018) (available on Amazon Prime for subscribers)
Kusama Infinity (2018)
Podcasts
The Great Women Artists is a podcast moderated by art historian and curator Katy Hessel. The podcast includes interviews with artists, curators, writers, and regular art lovers
Beyond the Paint is a podcast series celebrating female artists and fearless women who dismantle artistic traditions in Western Art. A journey through a work of art through the lens of the feminine experience.
Go see women artist exhibits (in person or online)!
De Valmy shared, “I was delighted to see that it was a woman, Hilma Af Kint, who was little known to the general public, who broke an audience record at the Guggenheim Museum in 2019. A successful bet that should encourage institutions in the future. However, solo or group exhibitions by women artists are still in the minority and it is therefore important to support them too.”
Support actions to raise awareness
Repaint History and Art Girl Rising : Brands that are highlighting women artists through their platforms and who create fashion accessories to spread their message.
“I collaborated with Art Girl Rising and Kahn Gallery to pay tribute to six women abstract expressionists.” said de Valmay.
AGR released a t-shirt (on sale on the Art Girl Rising website) which can be viewed online at laurencedevalmy.com).”
Next March: Participate in the campaign # 5womenartists on social media.
Challenge your followers to quote 5 women artists. It’s a fun way to spread the word.
#SharingisCaring: share news from your favorite artists
Visibility is KEY for artists. A straightforward way to support your favorite artists is simply to follow them and share their work on social networks: Instagram and Facebook being at the top of the sharing platforms, then Twitter and Linkedin.
Sign up for artist newsletters on their site or when you visit an exhibition leave your contact information.
Like and comment on their posts. A message of support is a simple, free gesture that is precious to artists, especially in these difficult times. So go ahead and share the love!
Buying art
“Becoming a collector is a great way to support artists! Buying from women artists whose work resonates with you is the best way to support them,” remarks de Valmy.
There are many ways to collect art depending on your budget. Works on paper, photographs and prints are usually a great way to start. There’s also a lot of original artworks available at reasonable prices.
Here is an article with tips on how to start collecting art.
These galleries exclusively represent women artists: Boogie Wall in London or Womanmade.org in Chicago should be recognized.