25 and Counting

About

Artist's Collective NOHAT proudly presents 25 and Counting, a multi- disciplinary exhibition of work by 25 plus Bedfordshire-based female artists. This show will highlight and tackle the under-representation of women in the art world. The participating artists have been invited to produce works on the themes of identity, visibility and invisibility. Sculpture, textiles, video, painting and text are all represented. 

The reality is that today the public still sees only a tiny handful of art produced by women. We want to change this. Of the thousands of watercolours, drawings, oil paintings and miniatures artworks in the collection of Bedford's main art museums only 3% are by women artists. “We see our exhibition as a starting point for a discussion about the visibility of women and women artists today. It should also act as encouragement to boldly take up space, and to highlight the issues concerning women artists in the Bedfordshire area.” Expect weekend workshops, talks and events throughout the duration of the exhibition. For more information see The Panacea Museum's website. 

Works will include mysterious, embroidered banners by Abi Spendlove, that speak of society's undervaluing of typically 'women's skills', while Artist Faye Spencer presents us with a gaudy and grotesque, carnivalesque view of a world turned on its head. With complex geometric patterns of thread lines on the tracing paper, Saliha El Houssaini highlights gender inequalities in the world of science, past and present. In their collaborative work, Ana Ortega and Kate Roberts take inspiration from their fascination for bodily functions. Their wearable, sculptural textiles both invite and repel. The work of Jan Drury and Joanne Bowes commemorates the charitable work of women that often goes unrecognised. Jacqui Saunders-Love’s complex paper sculptures address ideas of place, environment and identity. 

NOHAT was formed by Ana Ortega and Sophie Atkins, born out of a frustration that the work of women artists often remains unseen and unrecognised and a deep desire to bring about change. 'We are not going to wait to be invited in, we will take space and make space for female artists. We want to show the work and ideas of women artist to as wide an audience as possible.' For NOHAT this will be the first of many exhibitions and events to come, championing powerful, artistic female voices and bringing these into public view.