Males will soon be allowed to enter a women’s- just painting in Australia, following a higher- stakes courtroom case over the matter.
By excluding male visitors, the Ladies Lounge exhibit at Tasmania’s Museum of Old and New Art ( Mona ) attempted to highlight the history of misogyny.
After being denied admittance, one filed a sex discrimination lawsuit, which he won on Tuesday.
” We are seriously disappointed by this selection”, a Mona rep said.
Since 2020, the velvet-clad club, which features some of the museum’s most renowned pieces, including those by Picasso and Sidney Nolan, has been operational.
It was created to convert the idea of an old Australian restaurant, which largely excluded ladies until 1965, on its head, offering champagne and five-star services to female patrons while refusing to accept men at the entrance.
One of the men was New South Wales tenant Jason Lau, who traveled to Mona in April of last year.
He argued that the museum had violated the state’s anti-discrimination act by failing to give him and other ticket holders who did n’t identify as women. He rebutted his claim throughout the case.
The museum responded by claiming that the laws in Tasmania permitted discrimination if it was “designed to promote similar opportunity” for a group of people who had previously been disadvantaged and that Mr. Lau had felt was a part of the artwork.
Richard Grueber refuted the claim in his ruling, arguing that it was” not evident” how preventing men from seeing the famous paintings in the Ladies Lounge managed to accomplish that goal.
The court was used as a venue for performance art throughout the case by the gallery’s supporters, including performer Kirsha Kaechele, who also created the piece of art. They were also seen wearing matching navy suits and making synchronized movements.
Mr Grueber said that while the behavior of the people had n’t disrupted the hearing, it was “inappropriate, cruel and rude, and at worst contumelious and contemptuous”.
In 28 days, he may take effect and grant access to the show to “persons who do not recognize as women.”
Ms. Kaechele recently told the BBC that the situation made her artwork come to life, and that she would take the case to the Supreme Court if required.
However, she also made note that having the Ladies Lounge shut down might enable convey its planned information.
” If you were just looking at it from an aesthetic aspect, being forced to close may be very powerful”.
The museum had “take some time to collect the outcome” and weigh its options, according to a Mona spokesman.
