As this blog's title says feminism and feminist art, this is a huge topic to talk and discuss. In 1970's, female artists stood up to shout loud and determined to against mainstream art which was the art world been leaded by males. They united together protesting, hold movements to let the world hearing female's voices, our voices.
Considering this blog's scale, I would like to introduce you two art works and give a brief talk of feminist art and the influence by analyse this two art works.
Sandy Orgel
Linen Closet
1972
Orgel said" As one woman visitor to my room commented' This is exactly where women have always been- in between the sheets and on the shelf' ' It's time to come out of the closet.'
As you can see, there is a female nude body form in between a closet with scattered hair on the face. She wants to get out at the same time she stuck in there.
In 1970's, the world ended the wars. Men came back home as heroes with respect. And women didn't have to be nurse or housewife to support the war anymore. They started to be independent and finding their own identity, not the identity they been given to, such as housewife, mother, daughter or house maid.
At that moment, feminist artists rise up.
Back to this art work, actually when I see it, I don't feel the identity of women changing much now. We are more freedom than old days. We could identify ourselves any position when want to. We can do many jobs that couldn't do in the old times. However, deep down to the heart, how many males think we are really equal?
Nash Glynn Born 1992
Self Portrait 2020
Glynn's self- portraits reflect her experiences as a trans woman. Her body fills this painting.She stands against an idyllic landscape, the pink and blue sky contrasting to the bright green grass. There's a rainbow, the symbol of LGBTQIA+ pride, visible in the distance. I actually saw this painting when I visited Tate Modern. It attracted my eyes straight away. As an audience, when I saw it I feel I was examined by a top view angle. Then after I read the words on the wall and the story behind this artist, I know the feeling I been gave is the proud of the artist. She proud of her body and her identity.
Now we can back to our topic, feminist art. After fifty years' battle, female artists can draw their own nude body as self- portraits, even she is a trans women. Could she do the same thing at 1970's? I don't think so. Feminist art gives us the strength and the power to make females can stand out for ourselves now. How we identify ourselves? Who we want to identify as or what gender we would like to identify? It's all down to us now.
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