Six new public artworks celebrating outstanding Victorian women will be the outcome of new funds dedicated by the Victorian State Government.
The sculptures will be installed throughout Victoria, across land-owning organisations such as councils, arts institutes and private companies.
A total of $1.2 million has been allocated for the commissions, and organisations are encouraged to partner with artists and community groups under the Victorian Women’s Public Art Program to apply.
The state’s Minister for Women, Natalie Hutchins, says of the program: ‘We’re building greater recognition of women who have contributed above and beyond for Victoria, and creating a permanent record of their excellence. We know that by elevating women’s achievements in such a visible way, all sorts of opportunities can arise.’
Assisting the management and delivery of the commissions is the public art specialist, McClelland Sculpture Park and Gallery. It will both select the artworks under the program, and ensure they meet all requirements.
McClelland Sculpture Park + Gallery Artistic and Executive Director Lisa Byrne says, ‘Underrepresentation of works of, and by, women is a colossal gap in public art, locally and globally. As Australia’s preeminent authority on sculpture and spatial practice, McClelland will dedicate our public art expertise to ensuring this project makes significant inroads in reversing this imbalance.’
Celebrating women
While the call for commissions is open to both male and female artists, the subject matter of the public artworks is to be of women with state significance. The works can take the form of sculptures, murals or installations, and $200,000 is budgeted for each commission.
The Victorian Government says: ‘Of the almost 600 statues across Melbourne’s public spaces, only around 2% represent women, with most statues representing men or animals. [Further], Aboriginal women are often invisible in public artworks.’
Hutchins adds, ‘That’s why the Labor Government is working to shift the dial on the public representation of women, investing a further $1.2 million into the second round of the landmark Women’s Public Art Program.’
Read: On gender, pay and public art
The first sculpture to be commissioned in this next round was announced during NAIDOC week. Positioned at Parliament Gardens, it celebrates Lady Gladys Nicholls, a prominent Aboriginal rights activist. The statue is with husband Pastor Sir Doug Nicholls, who was the first in Victoria to acknowledge Aboriginal leaders.
Aunty Pam Pedersen, Nicholls’ daughter, says: ‘There are so many women we don’t even hear about, grassroots women from all backgrounds, that need to be rewarded and recognised for the way they are helping others.’
In the first round under the program, artworks were dedicated celebrating such women as journalist, comedian and disability rights advocate Stella Young, equal pay campaigner Zelda D’Aprano, three Kurnia Women and war surgeon Vera Scantlebury Brown OBE.
Applications close 5pm, Friday 30 August 2024.
