Great Women Artists United to Celebrate the New Book Great Women Artists

The latest art book to add to your collectsion (along with Rihanna’s latest photography book) is glazed, bright yellow, and features over 400 artists from around the world. Published by Phaidon in collaboration with Kering, Great Women Artists surveys five centuries of female art history, assigning credit where credit is due. Phaidon publisher Deb Aaronson explained: “We’ve done these other big resources about art. How do we create something that does justice to the way women have contributed to the field?” The book reviews well-known artists like Marina Abramović, Isa Genzken, Niki de Saint Phalle, and Yayoi Kusama, as well as lesser-known artists neglected by the canon. The artists were selected by Phaidon editors from a group of over 1,000, spanning genres, centuries, countries, and mediums. The impressive book is arranged in alphabetical order by last name and includes one artwork and a brief biography for each artist.

The partnership between Kering and Phaidon materialized fortuitously, through chance elevator encounters between Kering’s Laurent Claquin and Phaidon CEO Keith Fox, both of whom work in the same building. Kering’s dedication to gender equality, the fight against domestic violence, and partnership with Promundo made the collaboration with Phaidon on this project a natural fit. On the partnership, Claquin explained, “I wanted to support this project because it was aligned with our vision. At Kering, we believe that diversity is a source of creativity, innovation, and business performance. We believe in gender equality and equal opportunity.”

To celebrate the release of Great Women Artists, Phaidon and Kering hosted a private dinner at La Mercerie in SoHo. Claquin and Fox were joined by a bevy of artists and art connoisseurs, including Sarah Sze, Chloe Wise, Thelma Golden, and Noor Tagouri, along with important figures from New York’s top art museums, galleries, and fashion magazines. Several of the esteemed artists featured in the book also attended the dinner party, including Amy Sillman, Ursula Von Rydingsvard, and Dara Birnbaum.

In the dining room, a stunning singular stretched table spanned the length of the restaurant. The autumnal tablescape featured red flowers, scarlet amaranth, and votive candles. Surrounded by Phaidon books and unique design treasures (courtesy of the Roman and Williams Guild store that shares a space with La Mercerie), guests enjoyed a family-style meal of roasted vegetables, endive salad, and chicken. When it came time for dessert, Dutch singer Nicole Bus delivered a surprise concert. Serenading the clapping dessert crowd, the songstress played an eclectic set from her upcoming album, ranging from R&B to reggae to soulful ballads. At the end of the night, each guest walked away with a copy of Great Women Artists, theirs to read a rightly, revised art history.