This article was inspired by a dialogue with my friend, a professional gamer curious about Web3, who asked me about the gender gap in digital art. I have always known that the art market historically has been male-dominated and lacked women artists. However, I wanted to conduct deeper research to understand this issue better.

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Art history has long been dominated by male artists. A number of factors prevented women from achieving artistic prominence, primary among them was the fact that until the nineteenth century women were denied entrance to schools and academies, and even then, they were not permitted to work from nude models. And while opportunities for women began to expand in the late nineteenth century, social pressures continued to discourage women from pursuing a career in the arts. Encouraged to dabble in drawing and painting as part of a well-rounded education, women were expected to become full-time wives and mothers—an expectation that continued well into the twentieth century.

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Although women began to gain recognition as artists in the late 19th century, figures like Berthe Morisot and Mary Cassatt represented Impressionism. Their delicate techniques added a completely new perspective to the art we know today.

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Women in Web3

Despite progress in various fields, gender disparity remains evident in the burgeoning Web3 space. Out of 1,000 op-eds and articles across top media outlets, women were mentioned only 127 times as experts on the subject matter, compared to 867 mentions of men, as highlighted in Hacken’s 2024 Report on Gender Equality in Web3. Furthermore, among the top 100 crypto influencers on X, only five are women, indicating a need for greater gender diversity in public discourse.

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Sasha Stiles, reflecting on her journey as a female artist in this space, shared, "I remember workshopping my poetry years ago with a couple of peers who asked me why I wrote about cyborgs and the internet instead of things like family and relationships, and it really irked me – the idea that a woman should focus on certain subjects, and also the implication that technology is a 'masculine' theme. In my work and in my personal life I've chosen to do what feels right, rather than what's expected or even demanded of me as a woman in a literal sense. A lot of those expectations feel irrelevant to me."

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Stiles also believes the landscape is evolving: "When you look around and see artists like Holly Herndon, Stephanie Dinkins, Linda Dounia, Sougwen Chung, Ivona Tau, Operator and Emily Xie leading the way when it comes to technology's transformative impact on creativity and expression, it's clear things are already changing. Whether the market can keep up is its own concern."

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Women in Traditional Art

The traditional art market has also shown significant gender disparity. According to Forbes, of the $196.6 billion spent at art auctions between 2008 and 2019, works produced by women accounted for only $4 billion, roughly 2% of total sales.

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In 2022, as per Artsy’s annual Women Artists Market Report 2024, women artists' works comprised just 9% of the auction market. However, there's a noticeable trend towards greater parity among younger age groups: among ultra-contemporary artists (born in or after 1975), women artists' works made up 44% of auction sales; for those born in or after 1985, women artists captured 63% of the market.

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In 2023, the women artists with the most volume of commercial interest on Artsy included well-known figures like Tracey Emin, Etel Adnan, and Helen Frankenthaler.

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So What’s Next?

Every article exploring an existing issue should also suggest ways for readers to make an impact. While there's no universal solution for supporting women pursuing art careers, there are certainly ways to support them:

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Ways to Support Women in Digital Art

As a Collector: Begin incorporating works by female artists into your collection, not out of obligation, but because you genuinely appreciate their art.

As Someone Working in the Art Market: Inspire more females to join the space and provide opportunities for their growth.

As Anyone: Reflect on how you can push for gender equality in this space. Joining supportive communities can be beneficial; for example, I am a steering member of London Women Leading Web3.

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Hanne Van Briel, a digital artist, shared her thoughts on the subject: "As a female artist, I love the opportunities the digital art space has provided to me. I love that my art contains strong female characteristics and topics that are dear to me. I come from an area of work that was even more male-dominated. So I’m truly honored and happy that I’ve found a way to express the feminine self through my art. So far, my path has been wonderful and there are lots of great opportunities for the take. Of course, it doesn’t come for free; you have to work for it."

She continued, "That said, I would love for more female artists to find their way to the digital art space. Sometimes the tech can be a bit overwhelming to get started. Even when you have been around for a while, new things pop up every week. There are so many platforms and ways to mint and sell art.”

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Conclusion

To further explore this topic and hear from leading women in this space, I recommend tuning into the webinar I hosted for LiveArt during International Women's Week with amazing females leading this space: Webinar on Gender Equality in Digital Art and Web3

By acknowledging these disparities and actively working to promote women in these fields, we can create a more inclusive and supportive environment for women in digital art and Web3, helping to bridge the gender gap and promote diversity in the industry.