Kianna Dorino

Professor Cacoilo

Art & Women

April 14, 2017

Art & Women

Name five women artist, ten seconds on the clock…. If you had trouble answering this question don’t feel bad I was once like you too, unable to name five women artist off the top of my head. Luckily, things have changed for me and soon they will for you as well. Why is it so hard to name women artist? One of the major reasons as to why it’s so hard to name women artist is because women did not receive as much recognition in the art world then men did being that is was a field “predominantly” surrounded by men. Up to the 18^th century women usually painted, sculpted and some quilted as well but now, art has moved into a more 21^st century era where performance art can speak or express itself more than lets say a painting. These women predominantly express themselves and their art by expressing their sexuality.

Cindy Sherman

Cindy Sherman was born January 19, 1954 in Glen Ridge, New Jersey. Cindy attended the University of New York at Buffalo. Cindy Sherman is known as a photographer as well as a director. One can say Sherman’s most known work is a series of sixty-nine photographs known as “Complete Untitled Film Stills” which she created in 1977. Sherman’s series of photos were black and white and they challenged the cultural stereotypes that the media displayed. Sherman turned to photography to take on the different social roles and personas of women. Sherman’s work is central in the era of intense consumerism and image proliferation at the close of the 20th century (Molly 32). 

Untitled Film Still #26

Marina Abramovic 

The Artist is Present 

Marina Abramovic 

Marina Abromovic was born November 30, 1946 and is know for performance art. Abramovic attempts to stay away from typical art and mainly focuses on work from the current generation, she instead she uses herself physically as the piece of art. Her artwork puts the audience in it to develop a sense of connection. One of Marina Abromovic's pieces that is very well-known in which people from all over went to go experience is called The Artist is Present (2010). The Artist is Present took place in the MoMa, New York. This piece of art includes two chairs across from one another in which Abramovic sat down in the chair motionless and speechless, just staring at the person across the chair. Some people have cried from this experience with the artist because of a very deep connection with now another. 

Yoko Ono

Yoko Ono 

Yoko Ono is a Japanese artist born February 18, 1933. Yoko Ono has contributed the art work with her singing and performance art, film making and activism. Many people know her due to her previous marriage to the famous John Lennon from the famous band group known as The Beatles. One of Yoko Ono's most famous performances is known as Cut Piece (1964). Cut piece involved Ono sitting on stage in which she placed a pair of scissors in front of her. In this performance she allowed the audience to cut pieces of her clothing off. At first the auidience begins to cut small pieces of clothing off but eventually the audience ends up cutting off all her clothing leaving her completely naked. Yoko Ono's performance was meant to present that, "in which the viewer was implicated in the potentially aggressive act of unveiling the female body, which served historically as one such ‘neutral’ and anonymous subject for art... how viewing without responsibility has the potential to harm or even destroy the object of perception" (Phaidon). In this particular performance Ono was the piece of art and the outcome of the audiences actions was the final piece of art.

Cut Piece 1964 

Barbara Kruger

Barbara Kruger is a Contemporary artist born January 26, 1945 in Newark, New Jersey. Barbara Kruger created art in graphic designs, poetry and photography. Kruger is famously known for her pieces of art which have old styled images in which she makes in black and white with red, white, black lettering or borders. Kruger's work mainly focuses on political and social issues and the way in which the media presents these issues to society. Kruger's work hits home with many since it deals with larger societal issues. In her piece of work Your body is a battleground was produced by Kruger for the Women's March on Washington in support of reproductive freedom. The woman's face that is displayed is disembodied and split in half with text going down the middle of her face. This is a perfect example of the way Kruger's work displays the issues of today. 

Your body is a battleground 

Judy Chicago 

Judy Chicago was born on July 20, 1939 in Chicago Illinois. One of the pioneers of Feminist art during 1970’s, she endeavored a movement that reflect women’s lives. Feminist Art questioned the authority of the male dominated Western society. This posed a significant change to modernism. She seeked to redress women’s traditional underrepresentation in visual arts. Chicago's famous artwork, The Dinner Party (1979), is where she celebrated the achievements of women throughout history, and has a frank use of vaginal imagery. She was known to “articulated her feminist vision not only as an artist, but also as an educator and organizer, most notably, in co-founding of the Feminist Art Program at Cal State Fresno as well as the installation and performance space, Womanhouse” (theartstory, 2017). Her bold artwork that certainly created a statement helped young modern artist all around the world better find who they truly are.

The Dinner Party, Judy Chicago

WORK CITED

"Marina Abramović Biography, Art, And Analysis Of Works". The Art Story. N.p., 2017. Web. 22 Apr. 2017."Biography « Judy Chicago". Judychicago.com. N.p., 2017. Web. 22 Apr. 2017."Cindy Sherman Biography, Art, And Analysis Of Works". The Art Story. N.p., 2017. Web. 22 Apr. 2017."Barbara Kruger Biography, Art, And Analysis Of Works". The Art Story. N.p., 2017. Web. 22 Apr. 2017. "Young British Artists Movement, Artists And Major Works". The Art Story. N.p., 2017. Web. 22 Apr. 2017.