31 women contemporary artists working in Hong Kong celebrated in exhibition inspired by a landmark 1943 show
- The exhibition at 10 Chancery Lane includes works from the late Irene Chou, Lulu Ngie, So Wing-po, Movana Chen and other artists, using a variety of media
- Titled ‘31 Women’, it was inspired by Peggy Guggenheim’s New York show of the same name in 1943, and similarly celebrates a diverse group of women artists
In 1943, the late American socialite and gallery owner Peggy Guggenheim defied cultural norms and art critics by putting together an exhibition called “31 Women” in New York.
The exhibition showcased art from women of 16 nationalities, including that of Frida Kahlo, at a time when surrealist male painters were feted and women artists not so much.
Hong Kong gallery 10 Chancery Lane has adopted the “31 Women” concept almost 80 years on to show the work of 31 women contemporary artists working in the city.
Curator Caroline Ha Thuc and gallery owner Katie De Tilly were keen to follow Guggenheim’s lead after reading her autobiography, Confessions of an Art Addict, during the first year of Covid-19.
The selection of the 31 artists is not meant to be definitive, De Tilly says. Rather, it is a diverse group representing different age groups, cultural backgrounds and media.
