Past exhibitions
Women’s History Month – celebrating Westminster’s women
The exhibition, led by the Women’s Network steering group, celebrated hidden talents, showcasing that whilst not only doing a remarkable job for the council, our female colleagues are multifaceted with wide ranging talents and alongside their day jobs are also mothers, sisters, aunties, carers, teachers and friends.
While Women’s History Month in March is traditionally a chance to celebrate the contribution and achievements of women through time, of which there are many interesting and inspiring stories to be told, this exhibition focussed on very recent history – sharing stories, experiences, thoughts and feelings of our female colleagues during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The exhibition was the product of three artist led workshops held in February in collaboration with Iniva (Institute of International Visual Arts) and artist Zarah Hussain.
Iniva is a radical visual arts organisation that predominantly works to support UK based and born artists of African and Asian heritage. Iniva is home to the Stuart Hall Library, a specialist collection of contemporary visual arts and art history from Africa, Asia and Latin America.
London based artist Zarah Hussain worked with art therapist Sarah Furneaux- Blick to co-facilitate two of the three workshops, following Iniva Creative Learning’s art and art therapist led approach (developed in collaboration with A Space art therapy service).
This integrated approach supports wellbeing alongside the development of practical art making skills and knowledge of contemporary art. The workshops offered members of the Women’s Network time to stop, reflect, connect and create together. The Women’s Network felt it was important to give members during the third lockdown in February 2021 space to focus on themselves and their mental wellbeing.