THERE ARE GREAT WOMEN ARTISTS

A male gallerist once asked art historian Linda Nochlin “Why have there been no great women artists?” In response, she wrote a groundbreaking essay of the same title in which she deconstructs this question to reveal the assumptions behind it, as well as the answer it furtively supplies: “There are no great women artists because women are incapable of greatness.”

This season of films has been curated as an homage to that essay. Its aim is to showcase women artists proving that they do exist and that they are, in fact, capable of greatness. There is a mix of documentaries and biopics, some old and some new. I felt it was incredibly important to represent a variety of mediums ranging from photography to painting to sculpture to illustration. Thus demonstrating that great women artists exist in every form.

As the only female member of the box office team, curating this programme of films was especially meaningful for me. I’m immensely aware of how challenging it is to be a woman and work in a predominantly male field.

There are plenty of incredible women artists out there, this season highlights only a handful. My hope is that these films will give you a greater appreciation of the female artist and maybe even inspire you to go searching for others.

Justine Eastman - Technical Manager