Modern Definations

Today I have been exploring the world of what I call semi-modern art by women artists. This one takes you to the work by Judy Chicago and explains much about the objects linked to the humans in the dinner party. Judy Chicago's: The Dinner Party I always like to know what something means, where it came from and all that stuff.

As I look through the information in the above link and let it sift though my brain I'm beginning to wonder....... Is The Dinner Party the female artists version of a monumental work such as Christo's wrapping of buildings? A project so large that includes the cooperation of so many people can really be thought of to be little else. And following that thought I'm confronted by the difference in style and substance of the two artists and their choices for a monumental work. I believe that both follow the gender stereotypes laid out for them. Christo uses heavy equiptment and imposes his will on the pre-existing constructions of both the earth and builders before him while Judy Chicago relies on traditional craft and the cooperation of women to build a large moving quilt of experience and belief that is personified by the setting of a table.

Things to think about.

Kahlo and O'Keeffe

Last night was a video-a-thon. We watched two one-hour documentaries about Frieda Kahlo and Georgia O'Keeffe. Both were quite good and are about the only thing it appears one can find in the world of movies on women artists. Now I'm starting to wonder if I can find anything in the archives of CBS Sunday Morning show. They often do a few minutes on the arts on Sunday mornings.

Isn't it odd? Hours are given to covering business, the stock market, and if Micheal Jackson loves kids or really really really loves kids :( but the arts? Unless they do the thing where they make fun of the arts (like when Christo and Jean Claude wrap something which I think is wonderful but they think is just odd) you don't see the arts in TV. Not much anyway. And if what you are looking for are stories on women artists then you are really out of luck.

Oh and the documentaries are my an outfit called Home Vision, and it is their Portrait of an Artist series.

Amazon.com lists and womens artist series that includes Mary Cassat and Georgia O'Keefe as well as Frieda Kahlo.

Half.com lists a few collections of women artists including some sponsored by galleries and museums.

So I'm not finding anything. Any one else here know of movies about women artists? If so I'd be thrilled to know. Just leave a note in the comments section.

Cinema worthy

I just got back from the video store. I was looking for movies about women artists. They had Frieda. That's it. I know Artemesia is out there because I bought a copy at Barnes&Noble several years ago. And now I have to go and do a giant search for what women's artist movies exist out there. There are, of course, a goodly number of movies about male artists in the world. So this post will be updated, with titles and such after I finish a hunt for flicks.

Putting it into context

So I'm looking through some of my notes on chapters up to this point and I found a link to this article:
Portrait d'une négresse by Marie-Guilhelmine Benoist
As I reviewed the article again I was reminded of what I find interesting about art histroy. I love the way it puts the art and times and the artist into probable context. We all know that it is probable context rather than actual factual context becasue so many sites and references contradict each other. Still, I find that it's great to have that historical, cultural context. I personally am of the opinion that many artists may not have painted or sculpted or otherwise made a work for the reasons given by art historians, but it's wonderful to know what was going on at the time.

I believe as artists that we are influenced by our times and our world, we may not want to acknowledge it, but some things are ture if you believe them or not.

Modern women and links

Here are some links. I find them all over and since it is late this evening and I've not much brainpower left I'll post links. Following some of them might well lead you to an article that you can find interesting enough to bring to class!

100 women artists

That one is about this sites picks for 100 interesting women artists. :) I think it's interesting how the subjective works in every aspect of art, no matter if it's about men or women.

My own choice for an article for Thursday is Agusta Savage, who came up through the Harlem Renaissance. I love her work, I find it full of emotion and (best of all for me) it is 3-D.

Augusta Savage

I find the work of the women sculptors to be more interesting to me than the painters and printers, I wonder if we all gravitate to the style of work we like to do ourselves?

In the beginning.......

Welcome to my project. Here I will list what I'm learning in Women's Art History, link things I find interesting and fun, and postulate and pontificate and preach and preen and project everything I know and can learn on this subject. Check back from time to time and please do comment if you are part of my class as this will ensure that there is proof of the blog being read.

I invite content submissions, suggestions, comments and any thoughts you have. Thanks, Denny