Celebrating Trailblazing Women through art to mark the global 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence Campaign, established and emerging artists, including female Archibald Prize finalists, have created original portraits for a fundraising art exhibition at Collingwood’s Neospace Gallery from Friday 25 November 2016.
Trailblazing Women of Herstory will be opened on International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women (Friday 25 November) by Federal Sex Discrimination Commissioner, Kate Jenkins, and Yassmin Abdel-Magied will be providing a keynote address.
The exhibition will bring together work from a combination of high profile and award-winning artists including Esther Erlich, Kim Leutwyler, Matthew Quick and Sally Paxton, as well as community artists from groups such as Melbourne Artists for Asylum Seekers.
All artwork will be sold or auctioned to raise funds for The Global Women’s Project – a Melbourne-based non-profit organisation resourcing women leading grassroots change in some of the most disadvantaged communities in the world. A portion of proceeds will also be returned to exhibiting artists, to honour their time, skill and generosity.
Art and activism are intrinsically linked, and General (Wo)manager of The Global Women’s Project, and organiser of the event, Carmen Hawker, says that “the interest shown by artists to support the exhibition is proof that the community is really keen to celebrate and honour women’s achievements and that art is a strong way to bring about social change.”
The exhibition opens to the public from Saturday 26 November and runs until International Human Rights Day on Saturday 10 December (closed Sundays) with original artwork, limited edition prints and merchandise for sale. Throughout the 16 Days campaign, The Global Women’s Project has organised a diverse lineup of events and workshops to celebrate herstory.
Trailblazing Women of Herstory
Neospace Gallery, 7 Campbell Street, Collingwood
Exhibition: 26 November – 10 December 2016
Free admission
For more information, visit: www.trailblazingwomen.com.au for details.
Image: Sally Paxton, Edna Walling (detail) 2016. Acrylic and pigment ink pen on canvas, 83 x 103 cm.