If you’ve always wanted to stroll through a gallery at midnight, this weekend is your chance. The National Gallery of Australia (NGA) in Canberra will open for 24 hours from 10pm on Friday night as it joins the global initiative the 24 Hour Project.
The best part? The 24 hour open door policy will officially launch the NGA’s #knowmyname campaign, celebrating creative women in all their glory. Visitors to the Gallery are encouraged to join the 24 Hour Project by sharing inspiring stories about women in the arts with the hashtag.
And this is only the beginning… From May to October next year, the NGA will show only female artists in the 20th century display of Australian art.
“It is time to meet Australia’s culture makers, hear their stories, see their art and know their names,” says Alison Wright, the NGA’s Assistant Director, Engagement and Development. “Women have been shaping Australian culture for more than 60,000 years and it is through the voices of artists we can define a country of acceptance, kindness and inclusion.”
At present, only 25 per cent of the NGA’s Australian art collection is female. More over, female artists earn half the income of male artists.
The #knowmyname campaign is a call for equal power, equal respect, equal opportunity and equal representation.
It builds on the work of the National Museum of Women in the Arts in Washington D.C. which, in 2016, asked people if they could name five women artists.
“It’s a simple question – can Australians name five women artists? We want to drive awareness of women who have made or are making a huge contribution to our cultural life,” says Nick Mitzevich, Director of the NGA.
Join the movement this weekend at the NGA (where you can pick up an Art Girl Rising t-shirt with the names of Australian artists) and follow along with the hashtag #knowmyname.
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