The Problem of Feminism in Female Art Essay - 2249 Words

The Problem of Feminism in Female Art A review of the world’s great artists conjures familiar images: Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel; Vincent Van Gogh’s Starry Night; Pablo Picasso’s The Tragedy. There are many more, of course: Monet, Moya, Warhol, Rembrandt, Kandinsky. What is immediately noticeable, however, upon any brief study of art, is the significant absence of women as heralded artists—not only in our ancient pasts, but even today, amongst valiant efforts for gender equality. The question â€Å"Why have there been no great women artists?† has been debated since the 1970’s, when historian Linda Nochlin released her book of a similar name. In the decades that have followed, the number of women pursuing education and†¦show more content†¦The goal for feminist artists all along has been the gender-blind interpretation of art, allowing women equal opportunity for success. Feminists have long cried for museum curators and art collectors to see more than just â€Å"male† or â€Å"female† in a work. However, politics tend to get in the way, and it may be argued that, by clamoring for equality, women have isolated themselves further, making female art a socially-conscious fad rather than a respectable institution. In Women, Art and Society, Whitney Chadwick elaborates: â€Å"Feminist critics remain sensitive to the dangers of confusing tokenism with equal representation† (1990). Fear of such tokenism, and perhaps too much emphasis placed on inequalities, has made feminism somewhat of a â€Å"dirty word† to some artists today. The question of â€Å"why feminism?† has been presented to a number of female artists who deal with strong constructions of gender in their work. The answer, overwhelmingly, has been the desire to modify stereotypes about women that have prevailed in male-dominated art history. In the 1960’s, women who explored â€Å"feminist† issues in their art were criticized, causing mass mobilization and conscious raising as to what, exactly, was the purpose of feminist art (Crowell, 1991). Since that time, women have been trying desperately to overturn the art world and rescind the traditional stereotypes and images that have plagued them. Feminist artists created somewhat of a unified front during thatShow MoreRelatedSecond Wave Feminism Essay895 Words   |  4 PagesSecond Wave Feminism’s Relation to Art 1. Second Wave Feminism has a direct relation to art, as the movement and its creations were directly connected to the social problems of the times. As with most modern art, artists usually turn to creating works to express their problems with society, and this is what feminists did. 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