The Unseen Struggle of Women Artists in Australia and New Zealand

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11 months ago

Artistic representation for The Unseen Struggle of Women Artists in Australia and New Zealand

In the world of art, a subtle yet persistent imbalance persists, one that affects not only the number of women artists in galleries and museums but also their representation in exhibitions and permanent collections. Despite the growing number of women in the art world, the 2022 Countess Report revealed that women account for only 33.6% of artists exhibited in state galleries across Australia, while they comprise nearly two-thirds of visual arts graduates. This disparity is even more pronounced in major museums, where women artists make up a mere 30.5% of the permanent collections. New Zealand, however, faces similar challenges, with a recent report by Creative New Zealand noting that specific initiatives are needed to support women artists and their work. The disparity in gender representation in funding applications is also striking, with women making up more than half of those who apply for arts funding, yet receiving the majority of support.

Breaking the Silence: Sanderson Contemporary Takes Action

Against this backdrop of persistent inequality, some galleries are taking deliberate action to shift the balance. Sanderson Contemporary, an Auckland-based gallery, is one such example. The gallery, which has a mission to promote mainly women artists, has created a unique ecosystem that nurtures artistic talent across career stages.

Four women artists at different career stages will be featured in the gallery’s stand at the 2025 Aotearoa Art Fair, showcasing a “wonderful contrast and interest” to the audience.
The gallery’s Emerging Artists exhibition also supports young artists and new graduates from an early stage in their career, creating a pipeline of talented artists.
Sanderson Contemporary’s focus on nurturing artistic talent across career stages has led to the gallery being run by women, making it a rare example of a dealership with an even percentage of female and male-identifying artists.

Meet the Artists: A Diverse and Vibrant Lineup

The four artists featured in the AAF presentation exemplify the diversity of practice and experience that Sanderson Contemporary promotes. They include:

Molly Timmins, a young Ngāpuhi and Pākehā painter who explores her heritage through the depiction of gardens.
Mickey Smith, a conceptual photographer from the United States who has won several awards, including the Our Place Magazine Merit Award with the Molly Morpeth Canaday Awards in NZ.
Katherine Throne, an expressionist painter whose works explore flowers as a symbol of femininity, looking at themes of nurture but also strength and resilience.
Kāryn Taylor, a self-illuminating light box artist whose intense, glowing lines of light question our perception of reality.

A Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion

Lydia Cowpertwait, Sanderson Contemporary’s director, has a background in promoting women artists and has brought this expertise to her role at the gallery. “We wanted to promote mainly women artists this year,” she says. “This is an important part of Sanderson’s ethos as a gallery, and my background as a curator.”
The gallery has cultivated a strong network of female collectors and has implemented an incentive programme, MyArt, to support young collectors. This focus on women in the art world aligns with broader economic shifts, as women are expected to control over 60% of the world’s assets by 2030.

A Growing Movement

There are signs that the tide is turning in favour of women in the art world. New Zealand has seen the emergence of initiatives such as MotherMother, a non-hierarchical and intergenerational group that promotes women artists and supports their community. Curators like Julia Waite at the Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki are also championing women artists through their exhibition programme. Creative New Zealand’s diversity goals recognise the need for greater equity in arts representation across gender, ethnicity, and geography. The gallery’s commitment to diversity and inclusion is a step in the right direction, as it aligns with the growing recognition of the importance of diversity in the art world.

A Bright Future Ahead

Lydia Cowpertwait looks to the future with optimism, planning to continue Sanderson Contemporary’s balanced approach. “I would like to continue Sanderson’s focus on supporting artists at all career stages,” she says. “We will continue to promote women artists and their work, but it’s essential to have cross-sectional representation at the gallery and as much diversity as possible.”
As the art world continues to evolve, it is heartening to see galleries like Sanderson Contemporary taking a proactive approach to address the imbalance in women’s representation. By promoting women artists and their work, these galleries are helping to create a more inclusive and diverse art world.