Diversity Counts: Gender, Race, and Representation in Canadian Art Galleries

by Anne Dymond

Overview

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.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780773556737
Publisher:	McGill-Queens University Press
Publication date:	06/03/2019
Pages:	264
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.70(d)

About the Author

Anne Dymond is associate professor in art history and museum studies at the University of Lethbridge.

Table of Contents

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 Anne Dymond Jennifer Vanderfluit Tyler Stewart Ashley Fulton Kaitlynn Smart 3

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

Editorial Reviews

"This is a path-breaking study and an invaluable contribution to our understanding of the contemporary art scene in Canada." RACAR


"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


"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

From the Publisher