Women Can t Paint: Gender, the Glass Ceiling and Values in Contemporary Art

Helen Gørrill

ISBN 10: 1501359037 / ISBN 13: 9781501359033

Published by Bloomsbury Publishing PLC, 2020

About this Item

2020. Paperback. . . . . . Books ship from the US and Ireland.

Seller Inventory # V9781501359033

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Women Can t Paint: Gender, the Glass Ceiling and Values in Contemporary Art
• Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
• Publication Date: 2020
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1501359037
• ISBN 13: 9781501359033
• Binding: Soft cover
• Condition: New

About this title

Synopsis

In 2013 Georg Baselitz declared that ‘women don’t paint very well’. Whilst shocking, his comments reveal what Helen Gørrill argues is prolific discrimination in the artworld. In a groundbreaking study of gender and value, Gørrill 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, Gørrill’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.

About the Author

Helen Gørrill is Lecturer in Contemporary Art Practice at Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art & Design, University of Dundee, UK. She is the Equality, Diversity and Inclusive Lead for DJCAD and the Chair of In-Gear, a new initiative and forum for intersectional gender equality in the arts research.