History
For many decades, the meeting rooms of Graz City Hall were adorned exclusively with portraits of distinguished male figures – former mayors and honorary citizens of the city of Graz were, after all, men. This factual but one-sided representation has repeatedly led to criticism and intense discussions within the Women’s Council of Graz since its foundation. The focus was on how women could be made more visible and appropriately recognised in City Hall.
An important first step followed in spring 2009: The artist Eva Murauer developed the project “Ahninnen. Frauen – Vor-Bilder” (Ancestresses. Women – Role Models) together with the then “Frauenbeauftragte” Maggie Jansenberger. By deliberately drawing on the classical portrait – an art form traditionally reserved for great personalities – they gave outstanding women visible and lasting recognition. Several series of portraits were created in several stages, which were presented to the public and culminated in the exhibition “FACE IT! Portrait” at the Stadtmuseum Graz in 2010.
Concurrently, discussions were held with the municipal government between 2009 and 2012 on how to permanently anchor the visibility of women in Graz City Hall.
The Path to the Official Gallery of Pioneer Women
On behalf of and on the instructions of the parties’ representatives for women of all in the Municipal Council, council member Elisabeth Potzinger submitted a motion on 15 March 2012 to establish a gallery showing pioneering women in Graz City Hall.
This sent an important political signal, and the motion was assigned to the Department Women & Equality and the Cultural Service, as the responsible authorities, for review and implementation.
Negotiations on financing, the precise location of the Pioneer Women Gallery in Graz City Hall, renovation measures, the appointment of curators, design and implementation led to the first step in November 2012: the “groundbreaking ceremony” for the Pioneer Women Gallery in the City Hall foyer, which was attended by political leaders and representatives of Women’s Council of Graz.
In 2015, the Gallery of Pioneer Women was finally opened with 20 pioneer women, and in 2016 it was expanded to include a further 14 women.
2021 saw a revision of content and organisational restructuring: new, more stable portrait panels were produced and, in collaboration with the Graz Museum – as a joint project between the Department Women & Equality and the Graz Museum – an educational concept was developed specifically for school classes.
In 2026, the Pioneer Women Gallery is undergoing another round of development: The online presence is getting a contemporary update, and the Digital Pioneer Women touchscreen in Graz City Hall makes it possible to showcase additional pioneer women.
Curators:
Annette Rainer
Christina Töpfer
Exhibition design:
Stefanie Schöffmann
Marianne Riegelnegg
look! Design
Web design:
TASKA
Exhibition setup:
Christian Smretschnig
