INTERVIEW
2021
Tell us a little bit about yourselves.
Building upon the pioneering legacy and foundations laid by our mother and grandmother back in the 1980’s, we reshaped the gallery in 2019 to enhance the visibility of femxle artists.With a combined background working at firms such as J.P. Morgan, Christie's Auction House, and as an independent TV producer and Chief of Staff for a tech start-up respectively, we want to use our experience to create a fresh approach to the gallery’s operations, programming and artist management.
What issues do you believe need to change or be challenged in the art world?
Revaluing art by women has been at the forefront of our mind. Feted in the early years, new artists will find themselves in the spotlight of ‘up and coming’. However, all too often a woman’s career between the age of say 35 and 70 seems to have been cast into the shadows, overlooked, only to re-emerge as newly ‘found’ by galleries and institutions once they reach a grand old age. This reevaluation in the twilight years of a career, speaks volumes about how as a society we malign the importance of women in many areas of business.
Tell us about the history, present and future of Gillian Jason.
We hold a vision to champion the work of female and non-binary artists and are committed to building the careers of womxn from the ground up. Within our concept, we have planned a number of exciting exhibitions for 2021/22 with artists at the forefront of innovation; across technology and environment and at the juncture with socio-political movements.
Could you tell us a bit about the artwork(s) and artists in ‘Heart of the Matter’?
Heart of the Matter is a celebration of International Women’s Day and we are proud to be able to exhibit female artists across different stages in the art world. The last twelve months have been tough for many people in the arts. If we are able to take a step towards connecting with the upcoming young collectors and at the same time correcting some of the gender inequalities that have existed for so long in the artworld then we can sincerely see great change within our reach. GJG is committed to this change and the artists that we work with.
Who are your art world role models or muses?
We take our inspiration from the amazing women artists that have persevered in the name of art throughout the centuries. Coming up against all the inequalities that have shaped our world for far too long, these women just kept on creating. From Artemisia Gentilleschi and Marlow Moss to Hannah Hoch, Mira Schendel and Alma Thomas. We would like to name them all but suffice to say each one is an inspiration and the reason that Gillian Jason Gallery will carry on telling their stories.
