Before we begin this taboo breaking topic, it is important that we clarify two aspects to HERSTORY - history from a female perspective:
- artists who are celebrating the female: goddess images/ feminine ritual and
- artists deconstructing social and cultural practices: confronting the establishment/ political consciousness raising
MANY feminist artists cross between the two concerns, but it will be useful to organise your research and learning in this way.
From 1970s onwards, feminists from the USA like Judy Chicago,
Cindy Sherman and Miriam Schapiro, (who worked tirelessly to establish traditionally feminine art forms such as fabric work to become accepted in art galleries), were role models for female New Zealand artists.
By raising the awareness of female inequality in America, feminists ensured it became an issue in Aotearoa. This work is still going on today, join the Guerilla Girls in their onslaught against stereotyping in Hollywood.
NZ Artists such as Allie Eagle asserted the importance of issues that primarily affect women: rape, abuse, contraception and abortion.
Her works such as "Empathy for a Rape Trial Victim" 1978 and
"This Woman Died: I Care" 1978, made a tremendous difference in confronting previously ignored subject matter, in a public arena.
The fabulous Jaqueline Fahey affirmed women's experiences and brought, what had previously considered the seemingly banal - by men - grrrrrrrr, to art institutions.
Throughout her career she has challenged assumptions that household chores and real family situations were not suitable subject matter as "High Art".
Final Domestic Expose - I Paint Myself, 1982, is huge. It's scale alone is enough to qualify it as High Art, however, the use of collage and decorative chaos is enough to sideline her as an emotional and erratic woman!
Never likely to be shown alongside McCahon or Woollaston. As if she needs it.
Our final artist for this topic - although we could spend all year on this theme alone- is
Carole Shepheard. Her work includes the use of craft materials and core imagery, such as circles - see Amazon Shield, a celebration of strong Matriarchal cultures. Added to this, Shepheard uses the grid as a format to illustrate quilts and stitching and photography to demonstrate aspects of female power.
Summing up aspects of the NZ Feminist Art topic :
- use of craft "low art" techniques, celebrating weaving, quilting, stitching
- equality - women working collectively, changing names, blurring boundries - not artist as lone genius - please we've had enough of this you self indulgent Expressionist males
- un- saleable works - performance art, collaborative pieces not suitable for traditional galleries
- confrontational/ political work - shocking the male viewer - BOOO!
- female imagery - and an opportunity to say VAGINA on the school blog :-)
