Tasmania’s Museum of Old and New Art (Mona) has won an appeal in the state’s supreme court to continue barring men from entering the Ladies Lounge installation, overturning a previous ruling that deemed it discriminatory. Justice Shane Marshall found that the Ladies Lounge qualifies for an exemption under the anti-discrimination act as it promotes equal opportunity for women who are historically disadvantaged. The installation, created by artist Kirsha Kaechele, aims to challenge societal inequalities by providing a space where women can experience advantage.
Kaechele hailed the court’s decision as a triumph for women and the museum, stating that the Ladies Lounge serves to highlight and challenge gender disparities still prevalent in contemporary society. The court accepted Mona’s argument that the exclusion of men from the installation was necessary to create a space for women to experience a power reversal. The artist expressed gratitude to those involved in the case, including the man who lodged the initial complaint, for sparking a global dialogue on women’s experiences and social structures.
The museum will not reopen the Ladies Lounge until further instruction from the tribunal. Mona’s lawyer successfully argued that the installation is a participatory artwork and the process of being admitted or refused entry is integral to the art itself. Despite objections from the complainant’s lawyer, the court concluded that the Ladies Lounge is an essential space to challenge prevailing power imbalances between the sexes in Australia. The case has sparked international interest and led to discussions on gender biases in society.
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Photo credit www.theguardian.com
