“Ladies to the Front”: An All Women Art Exhibition and Celebration at Parlor Gallery

A group art exhibition featuring an amazing gathering of female artists is set to take place at Parlor Gallery from June 17th to August 1st, 2023, with the opening night reception scheduled for Saturday, June 17th from 6-10pm. This special exhibition will take place during the North to Shore Festival; an art, music, comedy, film, and technology festival hosted by three New Jersey cities: Atlantic City, Asbury Park, and Newark.

“Ladies to the Front” is a celebration honoring the diverse and unique perspectives that women bring to the art world and to Parlor Gallery. The exhibition will feature works of art in a variety of media, including painting, sculpture, photography, installation art, digital art, and mixed media. Visitors, art lovers and collectors will have the opportunity to view and purchase original pieces from a selection of talented artists.

Parlor Gallery is directed, owned, and loved by two women that have made It part of their mission to showcase, support, promote and collect art created by women and female identifying creators. Each year at Parlor Gallery, we curate 6-9 exhibitions at our gallery, with additional pop-up shows at alternative spaces locally. We have vowed to ensure that female creators are heavily represented in the overall curatorial programming.

Female artists have historically been underrepresented in the art world, and they often face greater challenges in gaining recognition and earning a living from their work. . In major US museums, less than 13% of artworks on display were created by women. Women artists make up only 2-5% of the art market and only 11% of art acquisitions at major US museums are works by women.

Art has the power to reflect and shape culture; so, upon learning of these statistics, it became a priority to curate yearly exhibitions, which focuses on local, national, and international women creators. “Ladies to the Front” will present the work of 50+ brilliant women, their work hung in a salon-style presentation.

The phrase “Ladies to the Front” originated in the punk rock movement of the 1990s, particularly with the band Bikini Kill. The lead singer, Kathleen Hanna, would often yell “Ladies to the front” during concerts, encouraging women to come forward and occupy space traditionally reserved for men in mosh pits and other areas of the venue. The phrase has since been adopted by feminists and activists as a rallying cry to promote gender equality and encourage women to take up more space in various fields. In the context of an all-female art exhibition, “Ladies to the Front” could be used to promote the idea of showcasing women’s artwork and giving their voices and perspectives greater visibility and recognition in the art world.

The exhibition and celebration are open to the public and free to attend. All are welcome to join in the festivities and support the work of these talented women artists.

Event Details:

Opening Night of “Ladies to the Front” is Saturday, June 17th, 2023, from 6-10pm
Parlor Gallery is located at 717 Cookman Avenue, (on the Arts Bloc) in Asbury Park, NJ

For more information, please contact Jenn Hampton at juicyjenn@parlor-gallery.com