Tasmanian Tribunal Rules Men Allowed in Museum’s Ladies Lounge
The Museum of Old and New Art has been found guilty of discrimination for denying a man entry to an installation in its Ladies Lounge, according to a tribunal ruling.
In a case before a tribunal, Tasmania’s Museum of Old and New Art, also known as MONA, has been instructed to allow men into the lounge area that was previously exclusive to women.
Located within the Moorilla winery in Hobart, MONA is the largest privately funded museum in the Southern Hemisphere. Established by Tasmanian millionaire David Walsh in 2011, the museum is famous for its themes of sex and death, described by Walsh as a “subversive adult Disneyland.”
Jason Lau from New South Wales initiated legal action earlier this year, arguing that being denied entry to the Ladies Lounge based on his gender violated Tasmania’s Anti-Discrimination Act when he visited the museum in April.
The museum’s legal representatives acknowledged the discrimination against Mr. Lau but defended the exclusion, stating that it was essential to the intended experience of the artwork.
Access Denied to Works by Picasso and Sidney Nolan
The Ladies Lounge, created by artist Kirsha Kaechele, the wife of Mr. Walsh, offers a luxurious experience to women with male butlers, champagne service, and a collection of exquisite artworks by artists like Sidney Nolan and Pablo Picasso, along with antiquities from various regions. However, individuals who do not identify as women are not allowed entry.
Ms. Kaechele, an artist who describes herself as engaging with life as a medium, viewed the tribunal as an opportunity for her artwork to transcend the boundaries of the museum.
“It was a dream come true for the work to leave the museum and enter the realm of the world—a completely new space. It was very interesting to have artwork come to life in a courtroom,” she commented.
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“The men are experiencing Ladies Lounge, their experience of rejection is the artwork,“ she explained. ”OK, they experience the artwork differently than women, but men are certainly experiencing the artwork as it’s intended.”
She shared that while the museum had received multiple complaints, only one other patron sought formal resolution.
“And I said, ‘You do experience the artwork, because the rejection is the artwork’. And he understood that and he appreciated it and he dropped the case,” she stated.
She revealed that the inspiration for the piece came from an encounter in a pub on Flinders Island where she and a female friend were directed by male patrons to the ladies’ lounge for their comfort.
Hearing Turns into Performance Art
During the tribunal hearing, Ms. Kaechele and around 25 supporters transformed the proceedings into a performance art piece.
Dressed in coordinated navy business attire, they performed synchronized movements like crossing legs, leaning forward in unison, and peering over their glasses. As the hearing concluded, they exited to the tune of Simply Irresistible by Robert Palmer.
Tasmania’s Anti-Discrimination Act permits discrimination in situations meant to promote equal opportunity for disadvantaged groups or those with special needs due to specific attributes, such as gender. This clause has allowed the operation of organizations like male-only clubs and women-only gyms.
However, Deputy President of the Tribunal, Richard Grueber, in his ruling, stated that MONA’s argument that the artwork promotes equal opportunity was “inconsistent,” as “it is not apparent how preventing men from experiencing the art within the space of the Ladies Lounge, which is Mr. Lau’s principal complaint, promotes opportunity for female artists to have work displayed.”
“There are many aspects of this case which may seem paradoxical,” Mr. Grueber remarked.
