Tara for Art, Winning Artists
Tara For Art seeks to improve the statistics of recent decades, which confirm that gender parity is a pending task in the art world. Only 10 of the 100 most internationally recognized artists are women and only one of them is part of the top 50 in the world market, according to data from the Gärna Art Gallery. However, in Spain they represent 70% of Fine Arts students.
Works by women artists represent between 3 and 5% of permanent collections in the USA and Europe, while at auctions their works sell for much less than those of their male colleagues. “ These figures perfectly reflect the situation of inequality in terms of visibility, remuneration and recognition of the work of women artists that we continue to face today,” explains Laura Garna, director of Gärna Art Gallery .
For her part, the marketing director of the Museo Nacional Thyssen-Bornemisza, Carolina Fábregas , says that “in the society we live in today, it is still important and necessary to create spaces where we give visibility to the work of women artists so that they can express themselves.”
Monica Egido, “FOMO”
Tara for Art, a program to support and reward female artists from around the world. In this context of inequality, the Tara for Art initiative promoted by the Tara For Women Foundation aims to help female artists worldwide develop their careers within the sector by promoting, connecting and supporting female entrepreneurship. “ Through this program and the call for awards, we aim to energize, exhibit, value and make visible works made by female artists who, through their projects, create social impact. By accompanying them and creating real opportunities that allow them to be sustainable and to be able to live off their talent, thus contributing to reversing the critical situation of gender parity in this sector ,” explains Carlota Pérez, CEO of Tara for Women.
The selection criteria included the presentation of visual arts projects focused on impacting, changing and improving the world through art. Female artists of legal age with a project focused on social impact and sustainability were eligible for this call.
The jury of the programme is made up of big names from the world of contemporary art: Carolina Fábregas from the Museo Nacional Thyssen-Bornemisza, Antonella Liguori (Artistic Advisor), the artist Carla Cascales, David Barro (curator), Noemí Oliva (cultural manager), the collector Natalia Cobo de Bulgheroni, Chema de Francisco (Director of the Estampa Fair) and Andrea Gara, art director of Tara For Women.
After months of submitting applications, in which more than 150 applications from artists from all over the world were collected, the jury members preselected ten finalists who will exhibit their work at the Gärna Art Gallery in Madrid from May 24 to 27. The three winning artists: Irene Trapote (Spain) , for her project “Hacer Territorio, atando cabos” (Making Territory, Tying Up Loose Ends) , Mónica Egido (Spain) for her project “FOMO” (FOMO) , and Enea Lebrun (Panama) , for her project “ Jenené” , have received a cash prize of 10,000 euros to carry out a project over the next six months, as well as mentoring for the next six months to boost their professional careers through international resources and future opportunities.
Irene Trapote, "Making Territory, Tying Up Loose Ends"
“For me, this award will mean being able to carry out my first project in a more professional way with a reasonable budget and being able to boost my artistic career,” explains artist Irene Trapote after receiving the award. For her part, the award-winner Mónica Egido , in addition to expressing her gratitude, stresses the importance of this type of initiative: “Being a woman, without having someone who has accompanied you previously, it is very difficult to enter that art cycle. Not only to be recognized but for someone to decide to ask you what you do. I think it is essential that there are foundations like Tara that give visibility to female artists, especially women who are just starting out like us.”
The Tara for Art programme, which focuses on boosting the visibility of female artists and works, has been made possible thanks to the support and collaboration of companies that clearly support female artistic talent, such as So- Sotogrande Spa & Golf Resort, which is contributing with a prize for the acquisition of a sculptural work, as well as with the preparation of the exhibition catalogue. The Gravity Wave is collaborating with the production of the trophies, made from recycled fishing nets, Garna Art Gallery is contributing with the provision of space for the exhibition of the finalists' works, and Fintonic, a platform specialising in improving people's financial well-being that will offer three financial training courses, thus collaborating in the business development of the artists.