Auction house Sotheby’s is getting rid of ‘art girls’ after years of booking models to pose alongside works for sale
Formula One has also decided to end 'grid girls' as businesses are put under pressure to change practices perceived as sexist
AUCTION houses are getting rid of ‘art girls’ after years of using female models to pose with the art pieces up for sale.
Top auction houses used to have a bevy of models who wouldpose beside the pieces up for auction for photographers – but Sotheby’s now says it is moving away from the practice “to ensure it is shown to our audiences around the world in as varied and engaging a way as possible so as to best reflect its medium, size and subject matter.”
Adding that they are “constantly exploring new and creative ways of presenting the extraordinary art and objects we are lucky enough to handle.”
The spokeswoman also told The Times: “We are moving with the times.”
And while female models have been photographed with works of art in Christie’s, the auction house stressed that they work with a wide range of art handlers that are both male and female.
This is the latest in a line of companies put under pressure to change practises perceived as sexist. This year Formula One announced it was getting rid of “grid girls”.
MOST READ IN UK NEWS
Beautiful women parading up and down the pit-lane and starting grid has long been associated with racing cars, but Formula One executive Sean Bratches said the deployment of grid girls was “clearly at odds with modern societal norms”.
Darts has also seen a shake up with the sport axing walk-on girls at PDC events
Model Kelly Brook blasted darts bosses for caving in to snowflakes as she defended the right for women to work as models and walk-on girls.