I appreciated the reading "Why are there no great women artists?" because it did not take a feel-good, revisionist view of history. Instead of trying to wish away the historical circumstances that made it almost impossible for female artists to succeed on the level as, for example, Michelangelo or Monet, it simply conceded that such circumstances did, in fact, preclude the existence of great women artists for much of Western history. However, this article did focus entirely on the Western, and ignored non-white, non-Western women and female artists. This is a grave oversight, as it is impossible to examine the historical record of great women artists without taking non-Western art into account. The other reading, "Conditions for producing Chicana art," gives more insight into this question because it describes how women from Chicanx communities have historically been restricted from art-making through a patriarchal structure, which could be the case for other communities of color or non-Western cultures as well. It is interesting that ethnic power movements of the 1960s and 1970s, including the Chicano and Black Power movements, both marginalized women and relied on patriarchal power dynamics to function. However, the progress made by Chicanas and Black women since then in achieving more equal footing within those empowerment movements is admirable.
Wednesday, April 4, 2018
Pauker, Madeleine
My name is Madeleine Pauker and my preferred pronouns are she/her/hers. I'm a third-year world arts and cultures student, focusing on critical ethnographies. I was born in Oakland, California, and grew up in nearby Richmond and Berkeley. I have created art, primarily drawings and paintings, throughout my life, though my artistic practice has tapered off in college because I no longer have access to art classes. My subjects were often favorite musical artists, such as Frank Ocean, myself, friends, or landscapes around the Bay Area, especially public parks. My mother was also an artist, though she was much more talented than me. I continue to be very interested in art, particularly art that allows me to better understand the experiences of those from cultures other than my own, which is why I was drawn toward this class. My favorite artists are Kara Walker, Henri Matisse, Ellsworth Kelly and Mark Rothko. I am excited to return to artistic practice in this class.
I appreciated the reading "Why are there no great women artists?" because it did not take a feel-good, revisionist view of history. Instead of trying to wish away the historical circumstances that made it almost impossible for female artists to succeed on the level as, for example, Michelangelo or Monet, it simply conceded that such circumstances did, in fact, preclude the existence of great women artists for much of Western history. However, this article did focus entirely on the Western, and ignored non-white, non-Western women and female artists. This is a grave oversight, as it is impossible to examine the historical record of great women artists without taking non-Western art into account. The other reading, "Conditions for producing Chicana art," gives more insight into this question because it describes how women from Chicanx communities have historically been restricted from art-making through a patriarchal structure, which could be the case for other communities of color or non-Western cultures as well. It is interesting that ethnic power movements of the 1960s and 1970s, including the Chicano and Black Power movements, both marginalized women and relied on patriarchal power dynamics to function. However, the progress made by Chicanas and Black women since then in achieving more equal footing within those empowerment movements is admirable.
I appreciated the reading "Why are there no great women artists?" because it did not take a feel-good, revisionist view of history. Instead of trying to wish away the historical circumstances that made it almost impossible for female artists to succeed on the level as, for example, Michelangelo or Monet, it simply conceded that such circumstances did, in fact, preclude the existence of great women artists for much of Western history. However, this article did focus entirely on the Western, and ignored non-white, non-Western women and female artists. This is a grave oversight, as it is impossible to examine the historical record of great women artists without taking non-Western art into account. The other reading, "Conditions for producing Chicana art," gives more insight into this question because it describes how women from Chicanx communities have historically been restricted from art-making through a patriarchal structure, which could be the case for other communities of color or non-Western cultures as well. It is interesting that ethnic power movements of the 1960s and 1970s, including the Chicano and Black Power movements, both marginalized women and relied on patriarchal power dynamics to function. However, the progress made by Chicanas and Black women since then in achieving more equal footing within those empowerment movements is admirable.
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