Student reaction to guest lecture on feminist art... #whyilovewomenartists
I wrote about guest-lecturing for a feminist theory class a few weeks ago, with regard to fluid feminist art (http://femmesfollesnebraska.tumblr.com/post/172271515522/whyilovewomenartists-fluid-feminism).
As mentioned, I got to talk feminist art with Women’s and Gender Studies students who weren’t necessarily well-versed on art and feminist art (to me they go hand in hand!). Not only had they not heard of Judy Chicago’s The Dinner Party, but not Womanhouse, either. (If you aren’t familiar, either, please, click on the links and be awakened ;) For a summary of my view on The Dinner Party read my article for Artslant.)
The professor kindly just sent me a student response from the end-of-semester course survey, which, after a quiet class who didn’t seem to respond to my presentation/discussion, made it soo worth it! :
The class about The Dinner Party excited me…because I had never heard of Judy Chicago or her feminist art before (fun fact-Judy Chicago is one of Time magazine’s 100 most influential people this year). I became temporarily obsessed with The Dinner Party and learned everything I could about it, read critiques of the work, and looked at all available photos of the plates. This taught me about awesome feminist art! Something that struck me during that discussion was when our speaker said that a vast majority of nude images are female, but the renowned artists that depict the nude female body are male.
Someone listened and even did their own research!! Thanks to Judy Chicago and all the feminists artists who make work to discuss and inspire. For this post I’ll show some images from Womanhouse… All text and images from womanhouse.net.
Womanhouse (January 30 – February 28, 1972)  organized by Judy Chicagoand Miriam Schapiro, co-founders of the California Institute of the Arts (CalArts) Feminist Art Program. PIctured here, cover of the original exhibition catalog designed by Sheila de Bretteville.Â
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 is time now to come out of the closet.
The soft skin of a kitchen pink
Is openers, strainers, blenders
Is cups, pots and hot ovens
Is boxes, cans and glass packages
Is faucets and nippled knobs
A toaster, juicer and waffler
All pink skinned
How would you like your eggs done
this morning?
When I was young I had a belief that the White Knight would come and carry me off to eternal protected bliss.  I lived with this fantasy and did not think too far beyond a dreamy white wedding day.  My piece deals with the not so dreamy reality that, for most women, lies beyond that wedding day.  The bride is portrayed as an offering—encased in gaiety, in lace, in flowers, in dreamy sky blue.  As the bride descends the stairs the blue slowly changes to gray and the bride’s failure to look clearly at where she is going leaves her up against the wall.
Our female ancestors first build themselves and their families round-shaped shelters. Â These were protective environments, often woven out of grasses, braches or weeds. Â I think of my environment as linked in form and feeling with those primitive womb-shelters, but with the added freedom of not being functional.
Please visit http://www.womanhouse.net to see and read more about all of the artists and rooms from the 1972 experience.
Les Femmes Folles is a volunteer organization founded in 2011 with the mission to support and promote women in all forms, styles and levels of art from around the world with the online journal, print annuals, exhibitions and events; originally inspired by artist Wanda Ewing and her curated exhibit by the name Les Femmes Folles (Wild Women). LFF was created and is curated by Sally Deskins.  LFF Booksis a micro-feminist press that publishes 1-2 books per year by the creators of Les Femmes Folles including the award-winning Intimates & Fools (Laura Madeline Wiseman, 2014) , The Hunger of the Cheeky Sisters: Ten Tales (Laura Madeline Wiseman/Lauren Rinaldi, 2015 and Mes Predices (catalog of art/writing by Marie Peter Toltz, 2017).Other titles include Les Femmes Folles: The Women 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016 available on blurb.com, including art, poetry and interview excerpts from women artists. A portion of the proceeds from LFF books and products benefit the University of Nebraska-Omaha’s Wanda Ewing Scholarship Fund.https://www.facebook.com/femmesfolles/
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