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A. This art work is very controversial in my opinion. When first looking at the subject matter of the art, I had no emotion towards the piece. Just looking at it I just see a representation of the female genitals. Although After discovering the content of the piece I felt proud. The piece made me feel proud and powerful for being a woman, looking around the table at all the different names of women who have made so many great accomplishments throughout history.
B. Judy’s Goal for this work was for people to come and recognize these women for their accomplishments throughout our history. This artwork would be considered feminist art. It’s a large symbol to honor the women in western civilization. Judy displayed a different plate for thirty-nine
The composition of this painting forces the eye to the woman, and specifically to her face. Although the white wedding dress is large and takes up most of the woman’s figure, the white contrasts with her face and dark hair, forcing the viewer to look more closely into the woman’s face. She smokes a cigarette and rests her chin on her hands. She does not appear to be a very young woman and her eyes are cast down and seem sad. In general, her face appears to show a sense of disillusionment with life and specifically with her own life. Although this is apparently her wedding day, she does not seem to be happy.
In the first image on the left, a man is kissing a lady; the artistic way of expression can be interrupted as disrespectful or offensive. Her work has had a lot of criticism as there is too much sexuality featured. For example, the boy and the girl on the cliff having oral sex. Nevertheless, she doesn’t shy away from controversial topics of racism, gender,and sexuality in her paper -cut silhouette.
Equality (1999) is a mixed media assemblage. Equality shows Aunt Jemima as the media had portrayed the African American woman with the word equality. Saar is showing that even the so-called Aunt Jemima needs equality. Equality is supposed to be for everyone and this piece illustrates that great truth. Pour Vous Madame (1999) is a mixed media assemblage. The title of this piece is French for “For you ma’am.” This work shows two servants and one is handing grenades to the other. This artwork is a direct satire of the age of slavery in American. The piece is symbolizing empowerment to all African American people. Grandma’s house (1972) pays homage to Saar’s grandmother. Saar spent summers with her grandmother when she was young and it was there that she found a lot inspiration for her art work. Keep for Old Memoirs (1976) is a mixed media assemblage. Saar was famous for making collages from things that she had found. She would collect things that she found at in her grandmother’s yard when she was young and make gifts for her family. The joy that she got from doing this carried over to many of her artistic pieces such as this one. Eye of the Beholder (1994) is a mixed media artwork. This piece is visual form of the old adage “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.” Historically, African American people were not considered beautiful or handsome and this dates back to early European monarchies. Europeans thought that pale skin and light hair was the only real form of beauty. Saar is challenging this ancient and misguided belief about beauty. Long Memory (1994) is a mixed media work. This piece demonstrates that African Americans have had a very long and rough past that included slavery and prejudice. Unfortunately, a lot of prejudice still exists in today’s society. The hand in this
Introduced by Susan B. Anthony at the International Council of Women in 1888, Matilda Josyln Gage began her speech with a brief sketch of her early entry into the suffrage movement: I have frequently been asked what first turned by thoughts towards woman's rights. I think I was born with a hatred of oppression, and, too, in my father's house, I was trained in the anti-slavery ranks, for it was one of the stations on the underground railway, and a home of anti-slavery speakers. Well I remember the wonder with which, when a young girl, I looked upon Abby Kelly, when she spoke of the wrongs of black women and black men. Then I remember, before the Round House in my city of Syracuse was finished, a large and enthusiastic anti-slavery convention was held there, attended by thousands of people who all joined in singing William Lloyd Garrison's song, "I'm an Abolitionist and glory in the Name," and as they rang out that glorious defiance against wrong, it thrilled my very heart, and I feel it echoing to this day. I am indebted to my father for something better than a collegiate education. He taught me to think for myself, and not to accept the word of any man, or society, or human being, but to fully examine for myself. My father was a physician, training me himself, giving me lessons in physiology and anatomy, and while I was a young girl he spoke of my entering Geneva Medical College, whose president was his old professor, and studying for a physician, but that was not to be. I had been married quite a number of years when Elizabeth Blackwell was graduated from that institution, which opened its doors to admit her, closing them, upon her graduation, to women, until since its union with the Syr...
...der is that its varying messages from the sculpture have puzzled its viewers as to what its meaning can be. “For the myths tell us that from the mystical perspective the distinctions between male and female…-as between time and eternity, pluralism, and monism- are meaningless”(TECHNIQUES OF THE WORLD SAVIORS: Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara, part two from The Myth of the Great Secret: An Appreciation of Joseph Campbell [Celestial Arts, 1990], Toby Johnson). Although both influences of a male and female have crossed together, the mythical stories of the goddess or god have represented the need for a stronger female aspect. To hold it as high of a position as a goddess can have and make its display for the entire world to see, this piece of evidence not only tells the tale of the Chinese woman’s adversity, but of the adversity of women everywhere.
Judy Tallwing McCarthy is a woman who has blazed trails all her life. Coming from a beginning that some may have seen as a hindrance, she used the stories and examples of resilience she learned from her elders to build a life of her own choosing that could assist and inspire others in doing so as well. Wearing many hats and titles over the decades, Ms Tallwing has built a lasting legacy in the Leather, Arts, Social Activist communities and still has not stopped. She is an example of what one can do when led by their core and by Spirit.
The shapes that underlie this composition are also suggestive of the female sexuality, which brings forth the notion of “Mother Nature”. I went and saw this piece at the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art where Gift of Art placed it there. The piece is originally located in the estate of Georgia O’Keeffe in New York, New York.
...ve identities to show their personal experience despite the various identities among the audience viewing the art works. Whether they sympathised or empathised there was a measurable reaction to the art of that period that educated the audience about the experiences of women, sexual and racial minorities.
Feminist art is argued to be a limited subject and that it cannot be considered a separate style although art is conceived differently from a male to a female perspective. Compared to artwork made by the male gender, women artists are more inward looking, delicate and nuanced according to Linda Nochlin, the author of “Why Have There Been No Great Women Artists?”. In her essay, Nochlin begins by discussing the myriad amount of ways people have attempted to answer the question about the lack of great women artists. She emphasized the fact that although each of these activities is valuable to the study of Art history, they serve as mere excuses to hide the reality behind the fact that there actually have not been any great female artists. In addition, Nochlin also writes that there are no female versions of Michelangelo or Rembrandt or Picasso, which is indeed a fact. Also, the essay focuses on the idea of artistic genius, which according to Nochlin, is non - existent. Nochlin highlights the concept behind the reason being a whole system in place that excluded the female gender from creating the type of work that made artists like Raphael and Michelangelo famous artists. Women were excluded from taking classes or drawing
The piece from the article that I found most intriguing and inspiring has to be Chicago’s Menstruation Bathroom. Menstruation is seen as such a taboo thing in our society, we don’t openly talk about it. This piece is attempting to fight those taboos by bringing the imagery of Menstruation, the tampons, the pads, the blood, into the open as opposed to being hidden behind the stall doors. For me, this piece has even more meaning because in one of my other cultures classes we learned about women in Nepal who are sent to sleep in cow sheds during their periods because they are considered “impure” while menstruating. So art like this is important to help fight taboos and normalize this thing that is part of human life, and more specifically a woman’s
The artwork I chose for the art criticism project was ‘The Survivors’ by Kathe Kollwitz. The piece was created in 1923 in Berlin, Germany, where she resided with her husband. She and her husband resided in a poorer area, and it is believed to have contributed too much of her artwork style. ‘The Survivors’ is currently displayed in two museums, the MoMA and the Kathe Kollwitz Museum. In the piece there is a woman directly in the middle, with sunken in cheek bones is draped in a black cloak. Her arms are around three small children, who look very frightened. On each side of her body there are an additional four small children who convey sadness upon their innocent faces. Also, they are outstretching their arms as if they are begging for her to give them something. In the background, on the top left side, there are two elderly men with their heads down, looking as if they are very sad and
The piece in this series that really caught my attention was the Female Rejection (Fig. 2) where she metaphorically rejects her role in femininity and celebrates herself as an assertive woman. The piece comes from the midst of Chicago’s use of what she calls the “central core” or blatant focal point of the work. In Female Rejection an objective vagina acts as the central core for this piece framed with (what seems to be) flower petals descending into the center, drawing and locking the eye onto the focal point of the vagina. The work not only celebrates the anatomy of a woman but masculinity that can be found in women rejecting the normative femininity that is inherently associated with women today. Judy Chicago is a wonderful female feminist artist who has begun to create a community of fellow feminist artists as to add members to the movement to strive for equality within the art world, as well as creating some pretty stellar pieces that have their own place in feminist art history. Judy Chicago is one woman to watch and it will be interesting as to how she incorporates her vaginal imagery into later works that have yet to
During the feminist movement women sought to gain gender equality and they turned to art to get their message out there. Feminist art set the bar higher for women so they can be seen more equal to men. It redefined the way women were seen and gained them a lot more power in the world. Women were able to use feminist art to be able to show the world that they were just as capable of being successful artists just like men were. Artist like Judy Chicago help set ideas of gender equality become a reality. “Inspired by the women 's movement and rebelling against the male-dominated art scene of the 1960s.” (the art story). Judy Chicago stood for women being equal to men and fought against how men were the ones in charge of the world. She used her art as a weapon to combat gender equality. Many other artists like Chicago used their art to fight gender equality. Feminist art helped explore ideas of gender equality and exchanged it around the world. Her art served as a way of breaking societal expectation by incorporating controversial
Shahn was a great artist. He did an excellent job when it came to balancing the content, and form of the painting. The elements and principals of this painting are very well put together. The lines were used very well on this piece, and they guided me the whole way through the painting. When my eyes seen the painting I was immediately drawn to the woman who was standing there with the tears in her eyes. Then the line...
...x piece of art that to some philosophers is considered beautiful, true and good for society while to others is considered none of these or one or two of them. As a true Nietzchean supporter, I believe this painting is beautiful especially in the way it portrays the consequences of our basic human desires, like lust and the use of superhuman mythological figures in the art of the up and coming modern twentieth century.