Abortion Is Normal

In light of the Supreme Court to overturn the 1972 Roe v Wade that was leaked earlier this week, legendary artists are responding with powerful statements, artworks, and exhibits. Women and non-binary artists have always been voices for social change and it is especially relevant now. Artists such as Michele Pred, Laurie Simmons, Marilyn Minter, Zoë Buckman, Barbara Kruger, and Betty Tompkins serve as powerful voices advocating for women’s rights. 

Similarly, curators such as Jasmine Wahi and Rebecca Jampol are taking action and  drawing forward the debut of the second iteration of landmark exhibition Abortion is Normal. In this revival, Wahi and Jampol plan to take their mission and messaging beyond liberal spaces and into states that are more traditionally opposed to abortion. By distributing the message that “Abortion is Normal” far and wide, they are driving change and protesting for the protection of childbearing bodies from antiabortion laws.

2022 ART BASEL & UBS ART MARKET REPORT

As Art Basel begins in Switzerland this week, we want to highlight the Art Basel and UBS 2022 Art Market Report released earlier this year, which showcased how women and non-binary artists remain underrepresented in the art world despite the industry's overwhelming success throughout the pandemic.

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In spite of the many economic set backs faced globally by the COVID-19, the 2021 art market rebounded significantly, with an estimated $65.1 billion in sales, a 29% increase over 2020. As the art market migrated online to accommodate pandemic living, it saw favorable global adoption of these digital marketplaces, even by the most high-end clientele.

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Many hoped that the wide-spread acceptance of the online art market would lead to a restructuring of old school hierarchies that have kept power in the hands of a select few at the top, and sales by women and non-binary artists at the bottom.

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The 2022 report shows that while the art world's digital pivot seems to have prevented the type of global market catastrophe seen by other event and travel-dependent industries, it has done very little overall to shift the underlying structure of the art trade.  As  people resumed many of their pre-pandemic normal activities, the high-end art world has quickly gone back to business as usual.

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Although the global art market maintained ample sales throughout COVID, the art world remains insular and challenging for women and non-binary artists to break into. With auction sales accounting for 47% of the global art market in 2021, and women making up just 2% of those, the art world remains dominated by established, primarily male artists and controlled by the elite auction houses, dealers and high net worth buyer demand.

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As Art Basel begins, keep an eye out for incredible female and non-binary artists who are quietly shaking up the art world, even when the numbers aren't showing them. As collectors, we are capable of changing these statistics. Let these numbers drive us to create an art world that is truly representative of all.

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Ref: Art Basel & UBS 2022 Art Market Report, prepared by Dr. Clare McAndrew