A major new exhibition at the Walker Art Gallery brings together historic and contemporary artworks, film, photography and personal objects to explore gender, identity and self-expression through centuries of lived experience.
A new exhibition titled "Gender Stories" at the Walker Art Gallery in Liverpool invites visitors to consider how gender influences personal experience and societal structures. By curating a diverse array of artwork, photography, and personal items, the exhibition traces the evolution of gender identity from the 19th century to the present day.
According to Charlotte Keenan McDonald, Head of the Walker Art Gallery, the exhibition aims to explore the idea that gender affects everyone and has been shaped by changing social constructs over time. The display includes works by various artists, including Grayson Perry, David Hockney, James Tissot, and Antonio Ciarrocchi, presented alongside personal artifacts like a suffragette teapot and a Liverpool LGBTQ+ football scarf. These items are meant to facilitate a space for conversation, enabling visitors to view the world from different perspectives.
"We really believe that artworks can be an opportunity to see things from somebody else's perspective through the eyes of the artist and their lived experience," said Keenan McDonald. "But art can also be a catalyst for us to think differently about the world around us." The exhibition was developed in collaboration with Bristol Museums’ Brighton & Hove Museums and National Museums Liverpool.
In addition to displaying historical and contemporary artwork, the curators worked with local organizations and community groups to integrate personal stories and new insights into the narrative. The exhibition serves as a reflective space where visitors can consider their own experiences while engaging with broader themes of identity, representation, and belonging. By examining social movements and campaigns related to women's suffrage, women's safety, and trans rights, the exhibition highlights the progress and ongoing discussions regarding gender. "Gender Stories" is open to the public at the Walker Art Gallery until August 31.
