NZs biggest women only exhibition to launch in at former gentlemans only club

New Zealand’s biggest ‘women only’ art exhibition will be launched later this year at a former men-only club in Gisborne.

The exhibition opens on October 1 and will run for a month at the Historical Poverty Bay Club, which in its heyday was an exclusive gentleman's only establishment.

More than 120 women artists are taking part in reportedly the largest event just for women artists throughout the country with up to 250 works.

 

The annual event began as a one-off in 2003 but organiser Sheree McLeod said it had grown every year.

``It was just for local women artists to begin with but such was the response that a number of sponsors asked it become an annual event and open to all NZ women artists.,’’ McLeod said today.

``The irony of the exhibition labelled Women’s Work being held at a former men-only club is not lost on us at all.’’

The event also doubles as a national competition and the Taranaki artist Dale Copeland won the top NZ artist award last year.

Award categories include paint, mixed medium, sculpture and Maori art.

Note: see photo of the grand the poverty bay club here: http://www.thepovertybayclub.co.nz/webapps/site/67250/78205/info/gallery-view.html?info_id=86237