Know My Name
Across Australia, over 1500 billboards have been lit up with women-identifying artists, both past and present, for the National Gallery of Australia’s Know My Name campaign.
Words: Emma-Kate Wilson
The National Gallery of Australia’s campaign first began in May last year when the gallery realised only 25% of their collection comprised of women-identifying artists. Know My Name is a way to change this, with the gallery employing a curatorial team to buy more art, to curate more exhibitions, and, in partnership with oOH! Media: to see Australia’s billboard’s come to life with some of the gallery’s collection of women-identifying artists and importantly, their names.
Over six weeks, it’s estimated that over 12 million people will see these artworks on digital signs and billboards across Australia. Forty-five women-identifying artists are featured in the project, from Emily Kame Kngwarreye stunning depictions of the Australian landscape to photo-media artist Tracey Moffatt who represented Australia in the 2017 Venice Biennale.
Joining them are well-known artists like Margaret Olley and Grace Cossington Smith who left a legacy for women artists to their contemporary counterparts, Club Ate and Cherine Fahd’s feminist artworks that expand on this Australian, women-identifying narrative.
Self-portrait by Nora Heysen, 1932, oil on canvas, 76.0 h x 64.0 w cm, National Gallery of Australia, Canberra, Masterpieces for the Nation Fund 2011.
Hawkesbury Wildflowers and Pears, c.1975, oil on hardwood 101.5 h x 76.0 w cm. Purchased with assistance of the Members Acquisition Fund 2011.
“It is an incredible initiative; it highlights the diversity and creativity of artists from the past to the present.”
Ocean man by Polixeni Papapetrou. 2013, pigment inkjet print, 120.0 h x 120.0 w cm, National Gallery of Australia, Canberra. Purchased 2016.
Artwork – Arlatyeye by Emily Kame Kngwarreye (Anmatyerr people) c. 1995, synthetic polymer paint on canvas canvas, 121.0 h x 91.0 w cm, National Gallery of Australia, Canberra, Bequest of the late Warwick Flecknoe and the late Jane Flecknoe 2018, © Emily Kame Kngwarreye/Copyright Agency.
Artist and council member for the NGA, Sally Smart reflected on the importance and the due timing of the large-scale outdoor and public art project. “The billboard campaign is a great opportunity for Australian women-identifying artists’ to be reached right around the country,” she shares, “and it brings the focus back to the names of those women artists that people may or may not have heard.”
Alongside the billboards, this year, the NGA will present six exhibitions from women-identifying artists. But throughout the entire campaign, it’s essential to reflect on what this really means. It’s not about boosting numbers or profiling these artists for the sake of it. Know My Name is about recognising the diversity and scope of Australia’s artists and actively undoing the ingrained sexism in the industry — realising the art world has always extended far beyond the Shaun’s, and Brett’s, and Arthur’s, John’s, and Ben’s.
Artwork – Psychogeography by Patricia Piccinini, 1996, colour photograph, 20.5 h x 259.1 w cm. Purchased with Funds from the Moet & Chandon Australian Art Foundation.© Patricia Piccinini.
“They found that only 25% of women had work in the National Gallery of Australia’s collection, which is a major issue, and they set about to rectify that as much as they could. ”
Interior in yellow by Grace Cossington Smith. 1962-64, oil on composition board, 121.7 h x 90.2 w cm, National Gallery of Australia, Canberra. Purchased 1965.
Olive Cotton Teacup Ballet 1935, gelatin silver photograph, 37.5 h x 29.5 w cm, National Gallery of Australia, Canberra. Purchased 1983.
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