An Australian court of law found it discriminatory that a museum in the country banned men from accessing an exhibition exclusively for women and forced it to open the room to everyone, according to the ruling published this Thursday on the judicial portal.
The case was brought to the Tasmanian Civil and Administrative Court (southern of the country), by Jason Lau, who alleged that in April 2023 the Museum of Old and New Art (MONA), in Hobart, prevented him from accessing the Ladies installation. Lounge (Women’s Room) despite having paid full admission to the venue.
The court, in a ruling dated April 9, found that the complainant was “discriminated against,” in accordance with the Anti-Discrimination Law of 1998, and ordered the museum operator to allow entry to this exhibition to “any person who does not identifies as a woman” in the next 28 days.
‘Ladies Lounge’, hosted at MONA since 2020, features a selection of works by American curator Kirsha Kaechele, including paintings by Pablo Picasso.
During a hearing in March, Kaechele argued that his installation reflects “historical gender segregation” in a country where until 1965 only men had the right to enter a bar to drink or where there are gentlemen’s clubs from which women are not allowed. They can be part, according to the ruling.
The artist assured last month that if the judicial decision is not favorable to her, she would appeal to the Supreme Court, the highest judicial instance in the state.
