Women Can’t Paint: Gender, the Glass Ceiling and Values in Contemporary Art – forthcoming book by Helen Gorrill – 2019 – I.B. Tauris, an imprint of Bloomsbury.
“In 2013 Georg Baselitz declared that ‘women don’t paint very well’. Whilst shocking, his comments reveal what Helen Gorrill argues is prolific discrimination in the artworld. In a groundbreaking study of gender and value, Gorrill proves that there are few aesthetic differences in men and women’s painting, but that men’s art is valued at up to 80 per cent more than women’s. Indeed, the power of masculinity is such that when men sign their work it goes up in value, yet when women sign their work it goes down. Museums, the author attests, are also complicit in this vicious cycle as they collect tokenist female artwork which impinges upon its artists’ market value. An essential text for students and teachers, Gorrill’s book is provocative and challenges existing methodologies whilst introducing shocking evidence. She proves how the price of being a woman impacts upon all forms of artistic currency, be it social, cultural or economic and in the vanguard of the ‘Me Too’ movement calls for the artworld to take action.”
Women Can’t Paint: Contents:
Why Have There Still Been No Great Women Artists? (extended introduction)
Masculinities and Femininities in Painting: The New Androgynous Aesthetics in Contemporary Art (chapter one)
The Price of Being a Woman Artist: Dollars, Dirhams, Pounds and Euros (chapter two)
The Museum Exposed: Gendered Visibilities and Essentialist Aesthetics Through Equality (chapter three)
Gender Parity and Arts Prizes: “Only Men Are Capable of Aesthetic Greatness (chapter four)
The Importance of Wearing the Right Old (Art) School Tie: Networking, Gender and Painting Values (chapter five)
Gender and Ageism in Visual Art Values – “But Men Are Allowed to be Old or Ugly!” (chapter six)
Smashing the Glass Ceiling of Women’s Art: Discussions and Strategies for Equality that Could Actually Work (chapter seven)
Baselitz’s Folly: Women Can Paint (conclusion)
To be added to the mailing list for book launch and events relating to the new book, please get in touch: drhelengorrill@hotmail.com.
#womencantpaint
#artequality
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Dr Helen Gorrill 