Three Major Feminist Exhibitions in UK Institutions Spark Critical Assessment of Feminist Curatorial Practice
In the UK, three significant group exhibitions focusing on feminist art have recently launched: 'Women in Revolt' at Tate Britain, 'Re/Sisters: A Lens on Gender and Ecology' at the Barbican Art Gallery, and 'Ridykeulous: Ridykes’ Cavern' at Nottingham Contemporary. These exhibitions emerge sixteen years after the feminist shows of 2007, underscoring a historical oversight of women's contributions to art in the UK. 'Women in Revolt' (1970-1990) expands the UK feminist narrative with over 100 artists, including Jill Posener’s 'Fiat Ad, London'. While 'Re/Sisters' has been critiqued for its detached style, 'Ridykeulous' emphasizes underrepresented artists. The authors ponder whether these exhibitions represent true progress or simply appropriate resistance. This text was produced by the Feminist Duration Reading Group at Goldsmiths CCA.
Key facts
- Three major feminist group exhibitions recently opened in UK institutions: 'Women in Revolt' at Tate Britain, 'Re/Sisters' at the Barbican Art Gallery, and 'Ridykeulous' at Nottingham Contemporary.
- These exhibitions follow a 16-year gap since the 2007 wave of blockbuster feminist shows in North America and Europe.
- 'Women in Revolt' covers 1970 to 1990 and includes over 100 artists, broadening the UK feminist canon with archival materials like Spare Rib magazine.
- The exhibition design for 'Women in Revolt' uses plywood screens and vitrines at wheelchair height to create a democratic space.
- 'Re/Sisters' focuses on lens-based art and was criticized for a clinical approach that may reproduce a colonial gaze.
- 'Ridykeulous’s Ridykes’ Cavern' is co-curated by Nicole Eisenman and A.L. Steiner with Sam Roeck, featuring 30 artists and emphasizing video's performative potential.
- The text questions whether these exhibitions represent tokenistic inclusion or genuine feminist curatorial practice.
- The Feminist Duration Reading Group, authors of the text, was established in 2015 and is currently in residence at Goldsmiths CCA.
Entities
Artists
- Marina Abramovic
- Jill Posener
- Alexis Hunter
- Rosy Martin
- Poulomi Desai
- Marlene Smith
- Erica Rutherford
- Juliet Jacques
- melanie bonajo
- Susan Schuppli
- Mierle Laderman Ukeles
- Mónica de Miranda
- Charles Atlas
- Leigh Bowery
- Nicole Eisenman
- A.L. Steiner
- Sam Roeck
- A.K. Burns
- Beatriz Santiago Muñoz
- Beth Bramich
- Lina Dzuverovic
- Sabrina Fuller
- Taey Iohe
- Mariana Lemos
- Katrin Lock
- Helena Reckitt
Institutions
- Tate Britain
- Barbican Art Gallery
- Nottingham Contemporary
- Royal Academy
- Whitechapel Gallery
- People’s Archive of Rural India
- Kunstverein Harburger Bahnhof
- HFBK Hamburg
- Goldsmiths CCA
- Feminist Duration Reading Group
- See Red Women’s Workshop
Locations
- UK
- London
- Nottingham
- North America
- Europe
- New York City
- Puerto Rico
- Italy
- Toronto
- Hamburg
- Germany
- Israel
- Palestine
- Ukraine
- Iran
- Saudi Arabia
- USA
- Brixton