‘Genesis’ exhibition Archives -

‘Genesis’ exhibition launches 8 March 2023

Ilhwa Kim, Mary Ronayne, Lucile Gauvain, Anne Von Freyburg, Sophie Victoria, and Marie Pol feature in a new art experience focusing on embracing equity in honour of IWD 2023

#EmbraceEquity for IWD 2023 and HOFA ‘Genesis’ exhibition. Left to right: HOFA Co-founder and Curator Simonida Pavicevic, female artists Anne Von Freyburg and Mary Ronayne

HOFA is set to début a new and exclusive all-female exhibition titled ‘Genesis‘ for International Women’s Day 2023 (8 March 2023) where six trailblazing female contemporary artists provide perspectives on equity through their artworks and artistic practices in the hope of inspiring greater understanding of the concept and why it matters.

Founded in 2012, HOFA Gallery seeks to explore beyond the creative constraints of the contemporary art world, demanding to challenge the conscious, stimulate the subconscious and amplify the voices of the under-represented. Achieving gender equity in the world of contemporary art, has always been at its forefront. To prepare for their IWD exhibition, HOFA engaged the feature artists in a dialogue about what equity means to them and how their selected works express the concept.

Lucile Gauvain, L’ornement, 2022. Coloured pencils on paper. 100 x 100 cm (in frame)

HOFA Co-founder and Curator Simonida Pavicevic explains, “Female artists face unequal challenges, unequal barriers to entry and unequal representation in the industry, and our feature artists interrogate inequity through their subject matter and chosen mediums.”

She adds, “This year’s IWD theme is an opportunity for us to learn the difference between equity and equality and to understand why equity matters if we are to achieve lasting equality for women, especially in the contemporary art world.”

Dutch mixed media textile painter Anne Von Freyburg states, “Equity means everyone should be included in the art conversation because art should reflect all of society.” Her exquisitely detailed textile reconstructions of Rococo paintings contest inequity by challenging the historical devaluation of mediums and crafts associated with women. Her colourful, tassel fringed artworks defiantly assert that every material is equal and permitted to make art with.

Anne Von Freyburg, I want Candy (after Fragonard, Girl with Dove), 2022. 110 x 140 cm

For Irish figurative painter and multimedia artist Mary Ronayne, the reality of inequity is the core of her better known satirical portraits and fête galantes. She exposes inequity through the unease and doubtful looks of people, especially women, who while engaged in pleasurable pastimes seem to be questioning their roles and situations. For Ronayne, “It is important to acknowledge the diverse inequities rooted in the positions women hold today.”

French figurative artist and illustrator Lucile Gauvain considers equity to be essential for achieving collective goals and interests and engages it through artworks that depict people connecting and creating together beyond gender. In Gauvain’s words, “Concepts, categories and notions of difference should never be a source of inequity and I think it is necessary to keep writing it, saying it and yelling it where necessary.”

Mary Ronayne, Celeste’s Liquid Lunch with Friends, 2021. Enamel on wood. 150 x 120 x 4 cm

For Sydney-based figurative artist Marie Pol, equity is about inclusivity and as she puts it, “Inclusivity starts with embracing ‘the other’ and letting go of prejudices and ideas of superiority.” Her works gives primacy to the female gaze – emotional, intimate, and empathetic rather than objectifying – and in this way, they defy the inequities inherent in the historical focus on the male gaze in art. Marie adds, “I synthesize rather than oppose contrasting textures, styles and ideas in my works and I think this shows that equity means acceptance.”

Summing up the forthcoming ‘Genesis’ exhibition, Simonida Pavicevic says, “Uniting these 6 women artists is their shared courage to confront and subvert received ideals of society, art and artistic practice through innovative artworks that experiment with various media, styles and techniques.”

Genesis solo exhibition runs 8 – 22 March 2023 at HOFA Gallery, London. Press preview 7 March 2023 (RSVP only)

HOFA Gallery

HOFA Gallery (House of Fine Art) specializes in contemporary art by established and emerging international artists. HOFA is determined to feature a multitude of artistic disciplines with an intent focus on exceptional talent, diversity and cultural relevance. Dedicated to supporting rare talent and making their work globally accessible, the gallery works closely with all of its artists to ensure the highest level of excellence and integrity across its locations in London, Los Angeles and Mykonos.

With a unique selection of highly collectable artworks of appreciative value and an uncompromising dedication to art world innovation, the gallery is committed to its mission in cultural leadership. Using new technologies and digital innovations, HOFA pledges an accessible entry point to the market and inclusivity to art collectors on all levels.