Is it contemporary performance art? Is is just a music video. What do you think?
Tuesday, November 5, 2013
YOKO ONO, I LOVE YOU.
Is it contemporary performance art? Is is just a music video. What do you think?
Monday, November 4, 2013
The Reckoning : "Why are there no great female artists?"
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/11/04/the-reckoning_n_4179300.html?ref=topbar
OK everyone. Let's get past that this is a Huffington Post article and move on to what it is about.
Here is the first sentence of the article: "In 2008, four female authors gathered together to address a decades-old question, once posited by art historian Linda Nochlin: 'Why have there been no great women artists?'"
After I read this first sentence is was like "WHAT? How can they say that?" I started listing off women in my head, Louise Bourgeois, Frida Kahlo, Mariana Abramovic, Kara Walker, Mya Lin, Cindy Sherman, Rebecca Horn, Adrian Piper, Eva Hess, Judy Chicago, etc... Then I read the rest of the article. Despite its misleading first line, the article talks about a group of women who are answering that question by shinning light on great female artists that have influenced art of the new millennium. The art world has been traditionally seen as a "Boys Club". Historically men have dominated. Just look at any art history book that focuses on art before the 1950's. With the exception of Georgia O'keeffe, Frida Kahlo, and maybe Marie Cassatt, women artists are hardly mentioned. Then we move into feminist art and the women's movement and things start pick up... a little.
I have always been told that it will be very difficult to break into the art world. And as a female artist, not to mention a female artist of color, it will be even harder. The meaning of all of my work will be attributed to my gender or my race. Even when I insist that most of my pieces have to do with neither. Now, it did take me a while to realize that my work is about being a woman, and in some cases my race does play into my work, but that is because my experiences go into my work. I guess I found it a bit insulting that if I used something feminine in my work, the work was immediately perceived as about the feminist movement. Oh and don't get my started on the use of chains in my work. "You are black, right?." Yes I am of Haitian descent. "Then your work is about being black. That is why you used the chains!" Um... *silence*. Yes this is from an actual conversation. But now I am proud of the work that focuses on these issues, because these issues are a part of who I am. People still interpret the pieces incorrectly... at least differently from how I meant them to be perceived, but that is what is so wonderful about art. It is open to interpretation... even if that is frustrating sometimes. And I always have the fun part of defying expectations and turning people's perceptions of my work, my races, or my gender on their heads.
But anyways back to the article. As a woman I want to represent women in the art world. I love when I see work by a woman. Especially contemporary work. On the hard days, it makes me feel like maybe I can do it too one day. This article talks about two books about influencial female artist from the 1970s onwards.
After the Revolution http://www.amazon.com/After-Revolution-Transformed-Contemporary-Art-Revised/dp/3791347551?tag=vglnkc7306-20
This book looks at influential female artists from the late 70's until the new millennium. The article finished this section with this quote:
"The battles may not all have been won," the authors wrote. "But barricades are gradually coming down, and work proceeds on all fronts in glorious profusion." It will still be a struggle, but more and more female artists are being recognized.
The second book that just came out last month is The Reckoning: Women Artists of the New Millennium http://www.randomhouse.de/book/The-Reckoning-Women-Artists-of-the-New-Millennium/Eleanor-Heartney/e423676.rhd
This book looks at the art 24 international female artists of the new millennium. the samples in the article are intriguing, and I cannot wait to read about these women who are making it in the art world today. My former professor would call it checking out the competition. And I agree. I plan to be showing with these women someday; I should know what they are doing. Because if you don't know what is going on in the world, how can you make good art.
OK everyone. Let's get past that this is a Huffington Post article and move on to what it is about.
Here is the first sentence of the article: "In 2008, four female authors gathered together to address a decades-old question, once posited by art historian Linda Nochlin: 'Why have there been no great women artists?'"
After I read this first sentence is was like "WHAT? How can they say that?" I started listing off women in my head, Louise Bourgeois, Frida Kahlo, Mariana Abramovic, Kara Walker, Mya Lin, Cindy Sherman, Rebecca Horn, Adrian Piper, Eva Hess, Judy Chicago, etc... Then I read the rest of the article. Despite its misleading first line, the article talks about a group of women who are answering that question by shinning light on great female artists that have influenced art of the new millennium. The art world has been traditionally seen as a "Boys Club". Historically men have dominated. Just look at any art history book that focuses on art before the 1950's. With the exception of Georgia O'keeffe, Frida Kahlo, and maybe Marie Cassatt, women artists are hardly mentioned. Then we move into feminist art and the women's movement and things start pick up... a little.
I have always been told that it will be very difficult to break into the art world. And as a female artist, not to mention a female artist of color, it will be even harder. The meaning of all of my work will be attributed to my gender or my race. Even when I insist that most of my pieces have to do with neither. Now, it did take me a while to realize that my work is about being a woman, and in some cases my race does play into my work, but that is because my experiences go into my work. I guess I found it a bit insulting that if I used something feminine in my work, the work was immediately perceived as about the feminist movement. Oh and don't get my started on the use of chains in my work. "You are black, right?." Yes I am of Haitian descent. "Then your work is about being black. That is why you used the chains!" Um... *silence*. Yes this is from an actual conversation. But now I am proud of the work that focuses on these issues, because these issues are a part of who I am. People still interpret the pieces incorrectly... at least differently from how I meant them to be perceived, but that is what is so wonderful about art. It is open to interpretation... even if that is frustrating sometimes. And I always have the fun part of defying expectations and turning people's perceptions of my work, my races, or my gender on their heads.
But anyways back to the article. As a woman I want to represent women in the art world. I love when I see work by a woman. Especially contemporary work. On the hard days, it makes me feel like maybe I can do it too one day. This article talks about two books about influencial female artist from the 1970s onwards.
After the Revolution http://www.amazon.com/After-Revolution-Transformed-Contemporary-Art-Revised/dp/3791347551?tag=vglnkc7306-20
This book looks at influential female artists from the late 70's until the new millennium. The article finished this section with this quote:
"The battles may not all have been won," the authors wrote. "But barricades are gradually coming down, and work proceeds on all fronts in glorious profusion." It will still be a struggle, but more and more female artists are being recognized.
The second book that just came out last month is The Reckoning: Women Artists of the New Millennium http://www.randomhouse.de/book/The-Reckoning-Women-Artists-of-the-New-Millennium/Eleanor-Heartney/e423676.rhd
This book looks at the art 24 international female artists of the new millennium. the samples in the article are intriguing, and I cannot wait to read about these women who are making it in the art world today. My former professor would call it checking out the competition. And I agree. I plan to be showing with these women someday; I should know what they are doing. Because if you don't know what is going on in the world, how can you make good art.
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