Take a minute and think of an artist

WHAT’S ON DECK

• Tell Me More: $13.6 million. One painting. One historic moment.

• Troublemaker Spotlight: Tati Lindenberg, Chief Marketing Officer, Dirt is Good

• Dear FQ: Why are big opportunities passing me by?

• Poll the Pack: How do you show up to work?

TELL ME MORE

Marlene Dumas shattered the auction record for a living female artist, but the art world still has a long way to go

Think of an artist. Go ahead, close your eyes for a moment.

Who comes to mind? Maybe it’s Picasso, Van Gogh, or Monet. Now ask yourself this: Was the artist you pictured a woman? Chances are, it wasn’t. And that’s not your fault, it’s the result of centuries of erasure. Female artists have often been left out of the narrative, their contributions minimized, misattributed, or ignored altogether. And it’s not that women weren’t creating. 

Enter Marlene Dumas, a South African painter, who broke the auction record for a living female artist when her 1997 work, Miss January, sold for $13.6M at Christie’s this year. She surpassed the previous record held by Jenny Saville. Dumas is celebrated as one of the most influential painters working today, known for emotionally charged, complex portraits that explore sexuality, race, grief, motherhood, and the body.

There’s no denying that this is a win for female artists. But on the same night Marlene set the women’s record at $13.6 million, a Basquiat sold for $23.4 million. That’s nothing compared to Jeff Koons, the record holder for the most expensive artwork by a living male artist at a cool $90.3 million. In case you were wondering, that’s over six times what Dumas earned. 

And the most expensive artwork ever sold by a female artist? Georgia O’Keeffe’s painting Jimson Weed / White Flower No. 1 fetched $44.4 million in 2014. Impressive, until you compare it to the record for a male artist: Leonardo da Vinci’s Salvator Mundi sold for a staggering $450.3 million in 2017. That’s not just a difference, it’s a tenfold gap that speaks volumes.

The numbers tell a stark story about women in the art world:

• Women artists' works accounted for just 9% of the auction market in 2022.

• Works by women artists make up less than 15% of permanent collections at major U.S. art museums. 

• Between 2008 and mid-2022, art by Black American women comprised just 0.1% of all auction sales. 

The historical sidelining of women artists isn't new. Take Margaret Keane, who painted the famous "Big Eyes" works while her husband, Walter, falsely claimed credit for decades and repeatedly threatened her. Or Françoise Gilot, a respected artist who, after her split from Picasso, was forced to leave France as Picasso turned the art world against her and waged war on her reputation and accomplishments. 

There is hope on the horizon, especially in the form of younger generations. Among artists born after 1975, women account for 44% of auction sales, a massive improvement from previous generations. Nuria Madrenas, the founder of an online gallery and consultancy featuring female artists, is seeing it, too. "I've seen an increase in interest for collections with a broader representation across the board. Not only through the integration of female artists, but artists of color and artists in the LGBTQ+ community. I've had specific requests from clients for that equal representation when we're curating works for their spaces," says Nuria. 

But the compensation problem persists. That 44% of auction sales will only account for 23% of total auction revenue. As female artists age, the picture gets bleaker. Women artists aged 55-64 earn only $0.66 for every $1 earned by male artists in the same age group.

As institutions work to correct historical imbalances, collectors should take note of the appreciation potential. The record-breaking sale of Dumas's work is a step toward correcting centuries of imbalance and ensuring that talent determines an artist's place in history. Sold.

TROUBLEMAKER SPOTLIGHT

Tati Lindenberg, Chief Marketing Officer, Dirt is Good

From a small Brazilian town of 10,000 people to leading a €6.7 billion global business, Tati Lindenberg built her career on breaking taboos and challenging the status quo. Not afraid to try new things, she forged a career for herself in Europe, despite never having been there before. And that was only the beginning. Tati has gone on to leave an undeniable mark on the world’s largest laundry brand, present in half a billion households around the world. No stranger to awards, Tati’s daring campaigns have earned her an Ad Age Leading Woman in Advertising award and wins at Cannes, Effies, Clio, and WARC awards.

FQ: What’s the worst career advice you’ve gotten?

A few decades ago, I was told that I should never display or show my vulnerability. At that time, being vulnerable was associated with being weak. I understand why I was given this advice, but it was damaging. 

It took about 10 years to overcome this. I still vividly remember the day that I cried when seeing the online launch of a campaign that I produced. I couldn't control myself. I immediately looked at my manager, thinking I'd be in trouble. He smiled and said, "This was one of the best reactions I've ever seen on a campaign."

What’s the best piece of non-obvious career advice you’ve gotten?

A line manager told me that I needed to have a high regard for knowledge. This became crucial to how I manage and lead brands and my team. I always reinforce: Have you looked at the data? Have you looked at what is out there?

I feel that sometimes in marketing, people have biases. If we don't look at what is real, we end up creating campaigns or products for ourselves. 

This is even more important now in the context of AI. It’s important to be grounded in data and information, and never be only intuitive. Of course, intuition helps when you are creating, but that intuition has to be based on realness.

What was a “heartbeat moment” for you in your career?

I'm Brazilian, from a tiny town of 10,000 people. For context, we didn't even have a cinema, and I first saw an escalator at 17.

I moved to São Paulo for university, then joined Unilever with one goal: To live abroad. I had never been to Europe in my life, but I knew it was possible. As a multinational company, I knew Unilever could make that impossible dream possible.

I still have the physical envelope with the contract from Unilever Holland. Because that was the moment my teenage dream became reality. Moving to Europe and pursuing this global career was my heartbeat moment. I get emotional thinking about that 26-year-old girl receiving that envelope. Dreams come true.

Who is one person you’d love to give flowers to from your career that influenced your journey?

Steve Miles is the person who gave me the best career advice on having a high regard for knowledge. He was Dove’s Chief Marketing Officer for a decade. He was and still is my mentor and a creative inspiration. Steve has always brought a deep awareness and sensitivity to women’s perspectives.

Where have you caused trouble?

I lead a laundry brand, so when it comes to laundry, there are three things I have to keep an eye on: The type of dirt, the type of fabrics, and the type of machines. 

We did something we call stain forensics a few years back, and it became very clear that the most frequent stain in the world is period stains. So I created a campaign called "Let's Wash Away the Taboo."

I faced huge internal resistance. People challenged me, asking why women still have period leaks after years of experience (seriously). I had to fight for period stains to be our focus, not food or grass stains. Everyone said, "Absolutely not." I was even questioned on my own ability to manage period leaks!

I also had to change the entire research and development process. We used to test period stains using a proxy, we weren't even testing real period blood. So I had to change that.

It's been a two-year program. The first campaign won a Cannes award two years back, and I was forever grateful. But even when I won the award, it was not something that people would still be comfortable speaking about. So I kept going.

I decided to do it again, partnering with Arsenal on a campaign called "Every Stain Should Be Part of the Game," which raises awareness that six in ten girls stop playing sports when they are teenagers because they fear period leaks.

I kept trying to find new ways of bringing the same taboo to life based on real people's societal insights. Two years back, I was told absolutely not. I was a real troublemaker. For a moment, I thought I would lose my job.

But now, everybody in Unilever is praising that campaign, men and women alike.

Want to nominate a “Troublemaker” you admire? You can do so here.

DEAR FQ

Your burning career questions answered

Erin McGoff, aka @advicewitherin, weighs in:

If you feel you're doing everything right but still getting passed over, you need to understand the difference between working hard and working smart. You can't just roll up your sleeves, put your head down, and expect your boss to promote you.

Here's what I recommend:

Be intentional and direct about your goals: You have to clearly and regularly be extremely direct about your ambitions. Say things like: "I am doing X, so I can get promoted to X," or "I want you to know that my goal is to be X in 12 months. How can we work together to make that happen?"

Speak what you want into existence: As the saying goes, closed mouths don't get fed. Initiative is rare, and always rewarded. Some professionals do a great job and are content staying right where they are. If you don't want to be grouped in with them, then it's your job to communicate that to the person in charge.

It's not personal, just professional: Worried about sounding defensive? Just remember what I always say: it's not personal, just professional. If this company can't accommodate your ambition, then you can take your skills elsewhere.

You don't have a job; you're a specialist with in-demand skills. So act like it! You got this.

P.S. Got a burning career question? Serve it up here to Dear FQ to score advice from a powerhouse leader in our network.

POLL THE PACK

Embracing confidence, leading with authenticity

Nearly half of employees feel confident in who they are at work, which is an indicator of a skilled, capable, and confident workforce. Combined with 26% with a positive attitude amounts to 71% of workers showing up with strength and passion. These skills are essential for career advancement and can be a competitive advantage. 

If you're in the confident majority, it's time to level up to advocacy. Practice asking for what you need, whether that's a raise, a new project, or support when you're struggling. If you're already advocating for yourself, help create a culture where others feel safe to do the same.

Emotional intelligence is fueling the future of work, just ask Tati Lindenberg.

Xo,

The FQ

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