To commemorate Women’s History Month, Cambridge-based gallery, Extraordinary Objects, is to launch a new, all-female exhibition celebrating women in the arts. Curated by gallery owner, Carla Nizzola, and launching on Saturday 26 March, the new exhibition, titled SALUTE, will unveil works in a range of forms by established international names and local and emerging talent.
Women in Arts
Commenting on women in the arts, Carla Nizzola said: “Although slow progress is being made in levelling the various disparities between male and female artists, the statistics are still shocking; there are a roughly equal number of male and female artists working today, however works sold by women make up only two percent of the total value of sales in the art market.
“The museum sector is scarcely better. In The Met alone, less than 5% of the artists represented are women, while 85% of the nudes are female. A new generation of female curators, gallerists, collectors and critics are working to change things. As a young female gallerist, I’m excited to play a role in working towards gender quality in the Art World.”
SALUTE brings together 10 influential female artists from various cultures and backgrounds who are all currently working to make a difference in the Art World. The exhibition not only celebrates these talented women, but highlights the importance of female creativity and expression in a male-dominated industry.
Local and International
Internationally-recognised artists involved in the exhibition include Bridget Riley. Known for her dizzying op-art paintings, Bridget Riley first rose to prominence in the 1950s, and quickly established herself as an artist of international importance. Today she is celebrated as one of the UK’s most beloved artists of any gender, and her work is in the collections of every major contemporary museum worldwide. In 2008 her painting, ‘Chant 2’ (1967), sold for a record $5.1 million at auction.
But SALUTE will also involve up-and-coming local artists such as Lynne Strover and Mel Fraser. Strover hand-crafts bold and eccentric silver jewellery using the highest quality materials. Each piece is carefully considered and unique, making her the go-to craftswoman in Cambridgeshire for bespoke jewellery pieces. Fraser carves contemporary sculptures from natural materials such as selenite, alabaster and marble. From large-scale abstract pieces to the more figurative designs, her work has been shown at numerous art fairs and held by collectors across Europe, New York and Hong Kong as well as the UK’s most prestigious sculpture exhibition ‘On Form’.
SALUTE will run from 26 March – 21 April at Extraordinary Objects Gallery, 14 Green St, Cambridge, CB2 3JU, with the Private View Launch held on Fri 25 March from 6-8pm.
For information on the exhibition, visit www.extraordinaryobjects.com
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