A Group Exhibition

Cape Town: Every year, South Africans celebrate women of all types and races during the month of August. The country commemorates the 1956 women’s march which took place at the Union Buildings in Pretoria to protest against the proposed amendments to the Urban Areas Act. Following the upsurge of Gender-Based Violence against children, cis, non-binary and trans women, Art@Africa and Julie Miller African Contemporary presents a womxn focused exhibition that highlights the modern-day womxn, as well as their contributions to society.

Fig.1 Mpho Mazibuko, The Table for Secrets, 2020, Acrylic on table & Mixed Medium, 100 x 100 x 24 cm

Whilst being feminine has always been perceived as weak and thus resulted to womxn being placed in stereotypical boxes, this exhibition aims to challenge the status quo, fight the violence that is being is being inflicted on cis, non-binary and trans women, whilst making a bold statement all womxn do indeed matter and should not be disregarded in any form.

Fig.2 Maureen Quin, Guinea Fowl Woman on Chair, Bronze, 53.2 x 37 x 37 cm 

Trans women have been excluded from related conversations, this reinforces the irresponsible notion that there is a right way to be female.

In efforts to make the exhibition inclusive to the aforementioned individuals, Art@Africa and Julie Miller African Contemporary presents has called on all womxn creatives to submit works that respond to the exhibition theme. We want to help create a space and platform that will give birth to a different narrative which will help society move forward.

Who counts as a woman? What makes a woman? Is there a journey one needs to embark on before they can be classified and accepted as a woman? These are some of the questions that feminists and society as a whole have been grappling with for as long as we remember.

Fig. 3 Caelyn Robertson, Sleep Walking, 2020, Oil on Board, 100 x 200 x 3 cm

This exhibition responds to the foremost concern by taking into account that as we move towards a better world that constructs gender the same way for everyone, we are saying all womxn matter.

Fig.4 Lauren Redman, Watershed II, 2019, Oil and Acrylic on Canvas, 120 x 90 cm

The show, which will take place at the gallery as well online during August will feature the top 100 artists artworks from different artists online and the top 50 artists artworks will be exhibited at Art@Africa, in Cape Town and Julie Miller African Contemporary, in Johannesburg.

We feel that the shared ‘female’ experience is dicey and that we shouldn't exclude but celebrate one another and the change the problematic and equally dangerous narrative that disregards trans and non-binary women as females.

Fig.5 Talita Steyn, Donkey Skin, 2019, Material One Mixed Medium, 100 x 100 x 24 cm

We believe that artists are the agents of change, and through this exhibition we hope to present work that will affect and truly reflect the power of womxn.