Finkelstein Gallery, Australia’s only contemporary art gallery dedicated to women artists has opened in Melbourne with its inaugural group exhibition Finkelstein Gallery presents which runs from 29 August to 28 September 2019.

Founded by respected art consultant and advocate Lisa Fehily, the gallery will present works from some of Australia’s most exciting emerging and established female artists including Cigdem Aydemir, Lisa Roet, Louise Paramour, Monika Behrens, Kate Rohde, Kate Baker, Deborah Kelly, Coady and international artists Kim Lieberman and Sonal Kontaria.

Inspired by the under representation of female artists in Australia’s institutional collections and the National Museum for Women in the Arts in Washington D.C campaign #Fivewomenartists, Lisa Fehily felt the time was right to open the gallery.

“After working with artists for many years, I have been witness to female artists being overlooked, not being put forward for important exhibitions and institutions predominantly considering male artists for collections,” Fehily comments.

This under representation is reflected in recent figures which indicate that Australian commercial galleries show 40% female artists and state museums show 34% female artists. The gallery aims to address this imbalance, building on the work of the National Museum of Women in the Arts in Washington D.C. which, in 2016, asked people if they could name five women artists.

Image: The Ride, Credit Cigdem Aydemir