Komal Shah, a former tech executive and art collector, is hosting the Making Their Mark Forum in Washington, DC from March 5–7, 2025, coinciding with the presentation of her collection at the National Museum of Women in the Arts. The forum brings together museum leaders, artists, educators, and students to discuss the representation of women artists, following her 2023 exhibition “Making Their Mark” in New York, which featured 84 women artists and drew 50,000 visitors. Shah, who built her collection of works by women and artists of color through a strategy of “soft seduction,” has shifted toward a more activist stance after the re-election of Donald Trump and the subsequent attacks on DEI initiatives.
The forum matters because it marks a significant escalation in the conversation around gender equity in the art world, moving from private collection displays to a public, policy-oriented gathering in the nation’s capital. By convening influential figures like MoMA director Christophe Cherix, National Gallery director Kaywin Feldman, and Yale School of Art dean Kymberly Pinder, Shah is leveraging her platform to address systemic barriers that women artists face. The event also highlights the ongoing impact of political shifts on arts funding and diversity efforts, making it a timely intervention in the broader cultural debate about representation and institutional responsibility.