CHART Art Fair announces presentation of 100% women artists for its 2020 edition

COPENHAGEN.-CHART Art Fair will show 100% women artists for its 2020 edition, in a new de-centred art fair format across the five Nordic capitals from 28 – 30 August 2020. By exhibiting 100% women artists, CHART aims to highlight a major structural challenge in the art market. Normally held in Copenhagen and bringing together galleries from across the Nordic region, for this year’s exceptional edition CHART will transform into CHART Copenhagen, Helsinki, Oslo, Reykjavik, and Stockholm in a re-thinking of the traditional art fair format in response to the current global health crisis. This new format will combine physical exhibitions and events with online activities, with an ambition to re start the art scene in the Nordics and re-connect both local and international communities.

“The past few months have turned everything upside down. Not just for us but for everyone. Adapting to a new reality is not only necessary, it is the only responsible thing to do. Due to government restrictions we are unable to gather a vast audience at our usual fantastic venue Kunsthal Charlottenborg in central Copenhagen. Meanwhile we are painfully aware of the difficult situation the art scene finds itself in. That’s why we’ve developed a new way to build on our strong network of participating galleries, artists, loyal collectors, museums, and institutions,” says CHART Director, Nanna Hjortenberg.

Presenting only women artists
Supported by its participating galleries, CHART 2020 will present 100% women artists in the art fair, a first for the international art community. The aim for this year’s women-focused art fair is to highlight the structural barriers in the Nordic and international art market, and to drive a positive change in the arts community through collaboration.

Statistics from the Art Basel and UBS Global Art Market Report 2019 confirm that the representation of male and female artists at art fairs globally is approximately 76% men to 24% women. With no significant change to this imbalance over the past five years, it seems evident that a more balanced art market will not develop on its own.

“This particular moment in time is an opportunity to re-imagine the art scene we want for the future. We were already planning to present women artists exclusively at CHART 2020 at Kunsthal Charlottenborg and we will continue to do so in our new format. Gender imbalance is one of the biggest structural challenges on the art scene and in the art market. We understand that no one can solve this challenge alone, but collectively we can push for awareness and insights to inspire us all to think and act differently. Imagine if the entire artistic community could get together to collaborate in new ways, creating a more balanced and diverse art scene. We think it’s worth pushing for – for the benefit of all of us and for society at large,” says Nanna Hjortenberg.

CHART De-centred – sustaining the regional art scene and connecting it internationally
During the weekend of 28 – 30 August, all 28 participating Nordic art galleries will present the artists they had planned to show at CHART in Copenhagen in their own gallery spaces, which are situated across the five Nordic capital cities. This new de centred format, taking place for the 2020 edition only, means that local audiences will be able to experience galleries’ presentations in their own city, re-starting the Nordic art scene whilst still adhering to social distancing guidelines.

In addition to this, CHART will create a publication presenting all the women artists participating in CHART 2020, with commissioned essays by leading voices in the art scene. Using the publication and individual gallery presentations as point of reference, CHART will facilitate online meetings, in order to connect local galleries, international collectors and institutions who are unable to travel or experience the works outside of their home city.

Galleries will also host a series of talks and events encouraging all members of the artistic community – artists, collectors, curators, museums and institutions, critics, creatives and art lovers – to participate and help sustain their local art scenes, which now more than ever need support.

“As a regional fair we explore a de-centred version by moving the activities to the local galleries and inviting international collectors and institutions to participate through exclusive, online meetings. In this way we both reconnect the local community and encourage everyone to support the local galleries while we offer an international audience – many of whom are unable to travel – the chance to engage with the galleries in the region,” says Nanna Hjortenberg.

An archive for the future
The publication that CHART will create documenting all the content presented at this year’s edition of CHART will form a collection of the work of female artists currently defining the state of contemporary art in the Nordics. The publication will also include essays by leading voices in the international artistic community, to bring new perspectives working towards a more balanced art scene and will serve as an important archive for the future.

Exhibiting Galleries
Andersen’s (DK), Galleri Bo Bjerggaard (DK), BORCH Editions (DK), Croy Nielsen (DK/AT), Edition Copenhagen (DK), Gether Contemporary (DK), Martin Asbæk Gallery (DK), Galleri Nicolai Wallner (DK), Nils Stærk (DK), SPECTA (DK), Galleri Susanne Ottesen (DK), V1 Gallery (DK), Galerie Anhava (FI), Galerie Forsblom (FI), Galleria Heino (FI), Helsinki Contemporary (FI), Persons Projects (FI), Galleri Brandstrup (NO), Golsa (NO), OSL Contemporary (NO), BERG Contemporary (IS), Hverfisgallerí (IS), i8 (IS) Galleri Andersson/Sandström (SE), Cecilia Hillström Gallery (SE), Galleri Magnus Karlsson (SE), Galerie Nordenhake (SE), Gallery Steinsland Berliner (SE).

Exhibiting Artists
A K Dolven (NO), Anastasia Ax (SE), Andrea Büttner (DE), Ane Graff (NO), Anna Bjerger (SE), Anna Daniell (NO), Anna Fro Vodder (DK), Anna-Karin Furunen (NO), Apichaya Wanthiang (TH), Arna Óttarsdóttir (IS), B. Ingrid Olson (US), Brigitte Waldach (DE), Camilla Vuorenmaa (FI), Candida Höfer (DE), Carmen Herrera (CU/US), Chantal Joffe (UK), Charlotte Brüel (DK), Chiharu Shiota (JP), Clare Woods (UK), Darja Bajagic (ME), Ditte Ejlerskov (DK) & Eva Marie Lindahl (SE), Dominique Gonzales-Foerster (FR), Elina Brotherus (FI), Elizabeth Peyton (US), Emma Helle (FI), Essi Kuokkanen (FI), Eva Schlegel (AT), Frances Goodman (ZA), Frida Orupabo (NO), Hanna Hansdotter (SE), Hildur Bjarnadóttir (IS), Hulda Stefándóttir (IS), Janaina Tschäpe (DE), Johanna Karlsson (SE), Katharina Grosse (DE), Katharina Sieverding (CZ/DE), Kriistina Uusitalo (FI), Lillibeth Cuenca Rasmussen (DK), Liu Shiyuan (DK/CN), Lisa Jonasson (SE), Maija Luutonen (FI), Mamma Andersson (SE), Mandy El-Sayegh (UK), Margét H. Blöndal (IS), Marie Lund (DK), Maria Rubinke (DK), Marie Søndergaard olk (DK), Mona Hatoum (PS), Nanna Abell (DK), Nina Beier (DK), Pernille With Madsen (DK), Rauha Mäkilä (FI), Rina Banerjee (IN), Roni Horn (US), Sara Vide-Ericson (SE), Sif Itona Westerberg (DK), Sigrid Sandström (SE), Siri Elfhag (SE), Steina (IS), Tacita Dean (UK), Trine Søndergaard (DK), Urara Tsuchiya (JP), Wangechi Mutu (KE), Ylva Carlgren (SE).