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Diversity CountsGender, Race, and Representation in Canadian Art Galleries |
eBook Available
An impressive and sobering analysis of gender and diversity in contemporary art, and a compelling call for more inclusive curating.
Despite the common belief that art galleries will naturally become more gender equitable over time, the fact is that many art institutions in Canada have become even less so over the last decade, with female artists making up less than 25 per cent of the contemporary exhibitions of several major galleries.
In the first large-scale overview of gender diversity in Canadian art exhibitions, Anne Dymond makes a persuasive plea for more consciously equitable curating. Drawing on data from nearly one hundred institutions, Diversity Counts reveals that while some galleries are relatively equitable, many continue to marginalize female and racialized artists. The book pursues an interdisciplinary approach, considering the art world's resistance to numeric data, discourses on representation and identity, changing conceptualizations of institutional responsibility over time, and different ways particular institutions manage inclusion and exclusion. A thoughtful examination of the duty of public galleries to represent underserved communities, Dymond's study bravely navigates the unspoken criteria for acceptance in the curatorial world.
Demonstrating how important hard data is for inclusivity, Diversity Counts is a timely analysis that brings the art world up to date on progressive movements for social transformation.
In the first large-scale overview of gender diversity in Canadian art exhibitions, Anne Dymond makes a persuasive plea for more consciously equitable curating. Drawing on data from nearly one hundred institutions, Diversity Counts reveals that while some galleries are relatively equitable, many continue to marginalize female and racialized artists. The book pursues an interdisciplinary approach, considering the art world's resistance to numeric data, discourses on representation and identity, changing conceptualizations of institutional responsibility over time, and different ways particular institutions manage inclusion and exclusion. A thoughtful examination of the duty of public galleries to represent underserved communities, Dymond's study bravely navigates the unspoken criteria for acceptance in the curatorial world.
Demonstrating how important hard data is for inclusivity, Diversity Counts is a timely analysis that brings the art world up to date on progressive movements for social transformation.
Details
264 Pages, 6 x 9
7 b&w photos, 26 figures, 2 tables
ISBN 9780773556737
June 2019
Formats: Cloth, Paperback, eBook
“Dymond gives artists and contemporary arts practitioners in Canada the numbers that allow us to assess what we have achieved and where we are failing, providing a baseline for the future. Her engagingly written and sympathetic account speaks to the gap between feminist theory and practice, offering compelling arguments for working to diversify the canon.” Diana Nemiroff, University of Ottawa and former curator at The National Gallery of Canada
"In this thorough study, Dymond reveals that inequity is still common in Canada despite advances made in Canadian society [and] finds that museums in all locales have issues with showing women, minorities, and indigenous people. The book ends with a call to action for more diversity. Includes extensive notes and bibliography. Recommended." Choice
"Curators, as well as museum and gallery directors, would do well to read this book and reflect critically on their own acquisition, curatorial, and exhibition practices. Additionally, this book provides a good starting point for any scholars interested in studies of representation at the intersection of contemporary art exhibition practices. Diversity Counts is an urgent reminder that there is still much work to be done in achieving curatorial representation that reflects the richness and diversity of Canadian artists." Public
"This is a path-breaking study and an invaluable contribution to our understanding of the contemporary art scene in Canada." RACAR
"In this thorough study, Dymond reveals that inequity is still common in Canada despite advances made in Canadian society [and] finds that museums in all locales have issues with showing women, minorities, and indigenous people. The book ends with a call to action for more diversity. Includes extensive notes and bibliography. Recommended." Choice
"Curators, as well as museum and gallery directors, would do well to read this book and reflect critically on their own acquisition, curatorial, and exhibition practices. Additionally, this book provides a good starting point for any scholars interested in studies of representation at the intersection of contemporary art exhibition practices. Diversity Counts is an urgent reminder that there is still much work to be done in achieving curatorial representation that reflects the richness and diversity of Canadian artists." Public
"This is a path-breaking study and an invaluable contribution to our understanding of the contemporary art scene in Canada." RACAR
Anne Dymond is associate professor in art history and museum studies at the University of Lethbridge.
Tables and Figures | vii
Preface | xi
Acknowledgments | xvii
1 Counting Gender: A Statistical Overview of Gender in Solo Shows of Contemporary Art in Canada, 2000-10 | 3
Anne Dymond, Jennifer Vanderfluit, Tyler Stewart, Ashley Fulton, and Kaitlynn Smart
2 “We’re Only Interested in Excellence. We Don’t Care Who Makes It”: Thinking Through Diversity at the National Gallery of Canada | 24
3 Let’s Hear It for the Boys! Vancouver and Diversity | 89
4 Toronto the Not-So-Good | 109
5 Hard Facts and Soft Power: Rhetoric, Reality, and Influence in Montreal | 137
6 Conclusion: Calls to Action | 171
Appendix | 187
Notes | 191
Bibliography | 215
Index | 231
Preface | xi
Acknowledgments | xvii
1 Counting Gender: A Statistical Overview of Gender in Solo Shows of Contemporary Art in Canada, 2000-10 | 3
Anne Dymond, Jennifer Vanderfluit, Tyler Stewart, Ashley Fulton, and Kaitlynn Smart
2 “We’re Only Interested in Excellence. We Don’t Care Who Makes It”: Thinking Through Diversity at the National Gallery of Canada | 24
3 Let’s Hear It for the Boys! Vancouver and Diversity | 89
4 Toronto the Not-So-Good | 109
5 Hard Facts and Soft Power: Rhetoric, Reality, and Influence in Montreal | 137
6 Conclusion: Calls to Action | 171
Appendix | 187
Notes | 191
Bibliography | 215
Index | 231
