Who Are You Here to See? Exhibition

“When we were girls, we took up space. We’d sprawl greedily across fading bus seats, we’d extend out legs our in every which way on lawns and we’d talk – constantly, loudly. The biggest shock of womanhood was the restraint of it. I don’t take up as much space as I used to. I can’t. I have a desk, not an office. A home, but not a studio. This exhibition is about the ways that women and people of colour are not allowed to take up space. Shoved into the background with a “that’s nice, keep trying” smile. Told that we’ll be worthy of inclusion if we just keep working a little bit harder for it. By visualising the extent of inequity in art spaces, we might help eliminate excuses for it.’

Mona Chalabi