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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Women only art exhibition at Edinburgh art Festival | Women only art exhibition at Edinburgh art Festival |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| By Liz Rawlings BBC Scotland news | By Liz Rawlings BBC Scotland news |
| "I'm a conceptual artist and it's a concept." | "I'm a conceptual artist and it's a concept." |
| These are the words of Sarah Wilson - the curator of the Only Women, Women Only art exhibition which forms part of the Edinburgh Art Festival. | These are the words of Sarah Wilson - the curator of the Only Women, Women Only art exhibition which forms part of the Edinburgh Art Festival. |
| At the exhibition, only work by women artists is displayed - and for the first month, only women were allowed in. | At the exhibition, only work by women artists is displayed - and for the first month, only women were allowed in. |
| The organisers are now letting men in - but for most of the month of August they were turned away. | The organisers are now letting men in - but for most of the month of August they were turned away. |
| Sarah Wilson said: "It's kind of an experiment - it's a two-month exhibition and the first month has been solely for women - men are not allowed in. | Sarah Wilson said: "It's kind of an experiment - it's a two-month exhibition and the first month has been solely for women - men are not allowed in. |
| "I don't have a police badge that means I can throw them out on the street but I wanted to create a space where women can work together with other women." | "I don't have a police badge that means I can throw them out on the street but I wanted to create a space where women can work together with other women." |
| Strip club | Strip club |
| Ms Wilson explained that the entrance policy was put in place because the work on display was specific to women's experience. | Ms Wilson explained that the entrance policy was put in place because the work on display was specific to women's experience. |
| She said: "A lot of the work is very personal. It's personal to the artists, it's personal to women specifically - it's just issues that men will never come across purely because of the difference between men and women. | She said: "A lot of the work is very personal. It's personal to the artists, it's personal to women specifically - it's just issues that men will never come across purely because of the difference between men and women. |
| "There are still golf clubs that exist in 2012 where women are not allowed in - let's see if this is possible as an art exhibition." | "There are still golf clubs that exist in 2012 where women are not allowed in - let's see if this is possible as an art exhibition." |
| Jannica Honey is one of the artists featured at the exhibition. She spent two months with women working in a strip club in Edinburgh - the resulting photographs tell the story of her time there. | Jannica Honey is one of the artists featured at the exhibition. She spent two months with women working in a strip club in Edinburgh - the resulting photographs tell the story of her time there. |
| She said: "It was quite a fascinating and emotional - and sometimes upsetting - experience but I wanted to create something which was beyond good and bad. | |
| "I didn't want to portray the empowered stripper or the sad stripper; I wanted to show a third way where it's not so easy to say it's good or bad, or black or white". | |
| As an artist displayed at the exhibition, Ms Honey believes letting men in for the second month is the right thing to do, but said the women-only entrance policy raised some important questions. | |
| She said: "A lot of journalists couldn't come up because the reviewers seemed to be men. | She said: "A lot of journalists couldn't come up because the reviewers seemed to be men. |
| "A lot of these kinds of conversations and chats that we've had these past three weeks have been important." | "A lot of these kinds of conversations and chats that we've had these past three weeks have been important." |
| She continued: "It's not black and white - but it has provoked a lot of conversations and that's the main thing for me in life." | She continued: "It's not black and white - but it has provoked a lot of conversations and that's the main thing for me in life." |
| 'Mixed reaction' | 'Mixed reaction' |
| The artwork on display at Only Women, Women Only is not too controversial - Ms Honey's photographs of strippers are arguably the most shocking elements of the exhibition. | The artwork on display at Only Women, Women Only is not too controversial - Ms Honey's photographs of strippers are arguably the most shocking elements of the exhibition. |
| There are line drawings, traditional paintings, video installations and conceptual pieces exploring women's bodies and sexuality. | There are line drawings, traditional paintings, video installations and conceptual pieces exploring women's bodies and sexuality. |
| Without doubt, the most controversial element of the exhibition is its entrance policy. | Without doubt, the most controversial element of the exhibition is its entrance policy. |
| Ms Wilson said the reaction to the exhibition's women-only month was mixed. | Ms Wilson said the reaction to the exhibition's women-only month was mixed. |
| She said: "With everyone that has come in to see it, I have not had any negativity at all - it has been really well received. | She said: "With everyone that has come in to see it, I have not had any negativity at all - it has been really well received. |
| "Online however, I've had people complaining and saying this has set back women's liberation years." | "Online however, I've had people complaining and saying this has set back women's liberation years." |
| The exhibition opened to men on 26 August - but despite the new entrance policy Ms Wilson remained resolute in her defence of the women-only month. | The exhibition opened to men on 26 August - but despite the new entrance policy Ms Wilson remained resolute in her defence of the women-only month. |
| She said: "It's the Edinburgh Festival - I'm creating an exhibition for women. | She said: "It's the Edinburgh Festival - I'm creating an exhibition for women. |
| "People can think what they want - I don't see why I'm putting people's noses out of joint." | "People can think what they want - I don't see why I'm putting people's noses out of joint." |