Museum relocates Picasso artworks to women’s toilets after tribunal ruling

Three Picasso artworks have been moved to the women's toilets at Australia’s Museum of Old and New Art after the closure of women-only exhibit.

In a strong statement to fight against gender discrimination, three Picasso artworks are now available for viewing at the ladies’ toilets.

Three Picasso pieces that were included in Australia’s Museum of Old and New Art’s (Mona) women-exclusive ‘Ladies Lounge’ have been relocated to the ladies’ restroom, after the Tasmanian Civil and Administrative Tribunal ordered the museum to close the exhibition due to “discrimination”.

Last March the exclusive “ladies lounge” faced a legal battle after New South Wales visitor Jason Lau lodged a complaint with Tasmania’s Anti-Discrimination Commissioner, claiming that the exhibition should be open for all, and that he felt discriminated after being denied access just because of his gender.

The host of the ‘Ladies Lounge’, Kirsha Kaechele, defended the case, reiterating the importance of the women-only lounge, as it acts as a “sanctuary for women, addressing the historical exclusion and imbalance in artistic representation”.

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Despite the stated artistic intention, the tribunal ruled against Kaechele and ordered the museum to stop refusing entry based on gender, prompting the exclusive exhibition to close. The ruling stated that Lau “felt strongly” about the denial of entry that he had to file a complaint with Equal Opportunities Tasmania.

As part of compliance, three Picasso pieces that were included in the closed exhibition now sit in a women-only toilets, renamed the ‘Ladies Room.’

Mona’s “first lady” shared the tribunal ruling and announced the new ‘Ladies Room’ exhibition on Instagram on Monday. “A new exhibition at Mona. Just for ladies ... We never had female toilets at Mona before, they were all unisex. But then the Ladies Lounge had to close thanks to a lawsuit brought on by a man. And I just didn’t know what to do with all those Picassos.”

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In her testament in court, Kaechele argued that the exhibit is a celebration of female solidarity and challenges gender inequality.

The museum plans to repurpose the ‘Ladies Lounge’ under the exemptions allowed by the Anti-Discrimination Act. Until then, the ‘Ladies Room’ serves as an interim solution, aligning with Mona’s tradition of blending art with social commentary.