8 March beckons!
International Women’s Day (IWD) approaches – 8 March, when all male leaders stand aside, admit defeat and we gals take over running the world. Perhaps not quite yet, but there is good news on the horizon nevertheless. As ever, there will be celebrations of women’s achievements across the country, and I want to draw your attention to what will be going on in Portsmouth.
Full disclosure: one of the main organisers is an old friend and damesnet subscriber. I am pleased to note that the women members of Art Space Portsmouth are hosting an exhibition of their work from 1 -10 March. It is billed as ‘an exhibition celebrating International Women’s Day and the varied creative work of the women members of Art Space Portsmouth’.
Art Space is a well-established collection of studios in a converted church building in Southsea, Portsmouth. It houses approximately 30 artists, working in a variety of media. The exhibition is curated by Lorraine Molins (Arts Council Award winner), Gillian Hawkins and Markella Korai, all established artists with numerous exhibitions behind them whose work will also be on display.
In total, 22 artists will be showing their work in the building’s studio gallery, with a number of events also planned to coincide with others at the Aspex Gallery and Hotwalls Studios in Portsmouth. The preview is on 1 March from 6-8 pm, and there is a celebration evening on International Women’s Day itself, with informal talks by the exhibiting artists. The general website with information on activities at all three venues is at: https://www.wearewomeninart.com/
Organiser and exhibitor Lorraine Molins, ex-Chelsea School of Art and Goldsmith’s College with numerous exhibitions & work in private collections, was based in London and has recently moved to Chichester. Lorraine’s paintings are vibrant, colourful, abstract with figurative references and are highly reflective of a modern environment. She is a member of Artel, a well-established group of artists in Chichester and can be found at www.lorrainemolinsart.com
If you can’t get to Portsmouth but are anywhere near East London on 8 March, the new East London Women’s Museum is due to open then. The museum, developed by Barking and Dagenham Council, is described as ‘a socially engaged exhibition and community space, which will give platform to the experiences of women, girls and allies from the area and beyond.’
On a more general level, the theme of IWD this year is ‘diversity and inclusion’. Gloria Steinem, the feminist, journalist and activist noted that ‘The story of women’s struggle for equality belongs to no single feminist nor to any one organization but to the collective efforts of all who care about human rights.’
What is always worth noting is that IWD isn’t country-, group- or organization-specific. It’s a day of collective global activism and celebration that belongs to all those committed to forging women’s equality. In this context, all IWD activity is valid, which is what makes IWD so inclusive.
Finally, if you want to be reminded of how tricky it was for men in the Soviet Union to make sure the women in their lives were suitably honoured on 8 March before they all went out to drink copious amounts of vodka, do read my blog for IWD 2018.
The Women of Art Space Portsmouth exhibition looks fascinating but alas not accessible for me . The East London Women’s museum opening, however, could be and I’m keen to check it out.
Happy IWD when it comes. I re-read your blog IWD 2018 and smiled noting that I would raise a glass on 8th March. I will do so again!
PS Lorraine Molins looks familiar…
Maybe we can visit the East London Women’s Museum together?
And Ms Molins…we can discuss on March 2nd!
Dame B