Art and socialism
nanoor
ArtGender1b.pdf
Concurrently, Feminism continued to evolve in the 80s but was much more
overtly political. Second Generation, or Second Wave Feminist artists, argued
that women’s experiences and exclusion were not due to their ‘essential
difference’ but were the result of society. They contended that ‘difference’ was
socially constructed, invisibly embedded in all representation as a means of
oppression, and thus needed to be unpacked and dismantled.
The number-one strategy of these artists was deconstructive; a postmodern strategy
of analyzing and calling out built-in bias in all form of representation—language as
well as images. The critique is that it was society, not nature, that ‘otherizes’ women.
In this humorous performance-video, Martha Rosler signals a shift in
perspective: from the ‘essential difference’ model of gender, to the
socially-constructed roles they are often assigned.
Cindy Sherman, Film Stills, 1979
By posing as multiple ‘types’ or stereotypes in this series of fake ‘film stills,’
Sherman not only critiques Hollywood but shows that identity is not ‘essential’ but
rather elective. She can be or ‘perform’ anyone she wants to. Could identity be a
performance, a social construction? If so, perhaps bias is then artificial.
Jenny Holzer, Private Property Created Crime, 1985
The Guerilla Girls
Guerrilla Girls, Do Women Have To Be Naked To Get into the Met. Museum?, 1989
Janine Antoni, In Loving Care, 1993
Yves Kline Jackson Pollock
In dealing more broadly with gender, and gender identity, Antoni dresses up her parents
as interchangeably ‘mom and dad’ to demonstrate identity as fluid and performative.
The history of representing women in art is a fraught one, as you know. Without resorting
to ‘essential difference’ or calling out society, the younger painter feels freer to represent
women as she sees fit. Saville makes obvious reference to the ideal versus the real.
With no specific political statement articulated, this younger artist returns to a more open-ended, metaphorical art.
In this installation, mysterious red powder continually cascades down the gallery walls from the ceiling.
Tarana Burke began using the phrase "Me Too" in
2006 to raise awareness of women who had been
abused. Eleven years later, it found global
recognition after a viral tweet by actress Alyssa
Milano. Milano was one of the women who
accused Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein
of sexual assault.
Not Yours’ Image
Question #1 - Please watch Yoko Ono’s Cut Piece. Give us your thoughts on
the piece, and whether you think it is effective in sending an early feminist
message. Also tell us, if you were there, what would you have cut off? J
Question #2 – Do you agree with Second Generation feminist
artists, that ‘difference’ is socially constructed and not inherent?
Tell why or why not. Is there any artwork of theirs that resonates
with you, or do you prefer First Generation work?
Question #3 – Whether she meant to or not, how does Antoni’s performance
comment on earlier male artist’s whose work was performed on the floor?
Image
Question #4 – How does feminist work from the 1980s
compare with those of the #MeToo movement of 2018?
