THESIS
Feminist art is effort put forth by artists to counteract the lack of female artists in museums, as well as to reclaim the female body for one’s own power versus the use of a male viewer.
METHODOLOGY
Due to misogyny that has persisted in culture worldwide, feminist art sticks out in museums as “taboo” when it should be considered normal. A comparative analysis of the two above artworks show that though they are from different time periods, they adequately further the feminist movement.
Feminist Art: Then and Now
Hannah Wilke is a Feminist artist that is famous for her controversial and striking works. One of her most famous is her SOS Starification Object Series shows the upper half of Wilke naked with pieces of chewed gum shaped as labias on her. While Wilke’s work from the 70s Feminist era made a bold statement then, Feminist art today is still largely popular and continues to grow. Sharon Bartel Clements’ Ancient Warrior Torso Series is similar to Wilke’s in several ways, even though Clements’ work is from the Post-Modern era of art. This series that was created throughout 2013 and 2014 is a collection of torsos of many different women. Both contribute to Feminist Art. In the Feminist art movement, effort is put forth by artists to counteract the lack of female artists in museums, as well as to reclaim the female body for one’s own power versus the use of a male viewer.
Both sets of art have nudity and exposure as a central theme. The vulnerability of the naked body can also be used to show power, such as in the SOS Starification Object Series. Wilke strikes several poses where she twists her body in ways that draw focus to her back, core, or face. In a few of the shots she makes direct eye contact with the viewer, as a way of saying “this is my body, I am in control.” The exposure of her body adds to this effect. In one image, she has what seems to be a scarf wrapped around her head and mouth with no other clothing on, making direct eye contact. This forces the viewer to focus on her chest and eyes alike, giving power through femininity to her being. In addition to this, she adds chewing gum to her body in the shape of vulvas. Showcasing this on her already naked body adds to the feminine aspect, and the gum shows that she is embracing her sexuality. The gum also represents societal standards set for women, as the gum alludes to scarification, a tribal practice that is meant to show beauty but is also painful (National Geographic). By doing this, the artist comments on the Western beauty standards woman face and what it means to be beautiful.
Similarly to Wilke’s work, Clements’ Ancient Warrior Torso Series also draws on the power of women. Each torso is from the hips to the neckline, with no arms. “My torso project represents the women as warrior” (Bartel-Clements). “I started thinking of the women I know, and of myself and came to believe we are the real warriors, now and throughout history.” Each sculpture is unique, showing woman’s distinct yet collective power. The focus still rests on the woman’s chest, this being a sign of the life giving qualities women have (for example, breast milk). The core of the figure is shown and symbolizes strength, and the whole figure is shown without clothing. While this series is more abstract than Wilke’s, it has a similar goal of showing power in femininity and underestimated strength that women have.
Hannah Wilke created her SOS Starification Object Series in 1974-1975. This was a crucial time period for the feminist movement and civil rights movement among others. Popular culture reflected this: television shows and movies aired such as Wonder Woman, Cleopatra Jones, and Foxy Brown that inspired women to be independent leaders and instead of the classic damsel in distress. The Vietnam War continued in the early 1970s, adding political stress on the American public. Many women were forced to step out of their typical roles at home as their husbands and sons fought across the world. Feminists of this time paved the way for shifting how society views subjects such as reproductive rights to the environment to politics.
Female artists became popular through using various types of media that weren’t traditional, as well as forms that were rarely used by male artists. By using expressive forms that were not common, “women sought to expand the definition of fine art and to incorporate a wider variety of artistic perspective” (Feminist Art Movement, Artists and Major Works). Hannah Wilke contributes to this by using gum on her body in the shape of a vulvas. There are multiple pieces of gum on her body, and each piece is shaped differently, representing the uniqueness of each woman. She also uses herself as the subject of her work, when at this time most sculptures and paintings of women and galleries were made by male artists, for the male viewer. She reclaims her body for her own purpose and does so in an individualistic way.
In the post-modern era of art, feminism is still a popular theme even though it is not considered as much of a “new” way of thinking as it was thought of in the mid to late 1900s. Feminism has shifted with the times, and grown to accommodate new platforms, ideas, political agendas, etc. Feminism as a whole has shifted to be more inclusive, and progressive. No longer is then feminist narrative just about the white female, but also the black female, and Latino female, as well as the homosexual female and how each narrative is different, but the struggle still exists. Being a feminist in the post-feminist era means that “women and girls are attempting to paint a place for themselves in the feminist landscape even as that landscape is colored and textured by a post-feminist ideology, which asserts that there is no longer any need to "be a feminist” “ (Kinser, Amber E). To recognize that sexism takes new forms and to continue to work against it is modern day feminism, and is exactly what Clements’ Warrior Torso Series is all about.
Inspired by the Terracotta Warriors of ancient China, the torso series adds a historical aspect to the story of each woman. Each one is different, and shows the spiritual strength that has come through hardships each woman faces. In Clements’ own words, “The visual quality of being ancient, to me, can also mean something lost and then found. Lessons that were learned ... something buried or destroyed and then rebuilt”. The surface of each warrior figure is rough, and symbolized the mental armor every individual has. When the torsos are together in one space for an exhibition, they show “a totality of the woman as the warrior archetype” (Bartel-Clements). Clements’ work represents what it means to be a modern, 21st century feminist with the progress made by generations of the past as well as the road ahead to the future feminist agenda.
Works Cited
National Geographic, National Geographic Society, news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2004/07/0728_040728_tvtabooscars_2.html.
“ABOUT.” Bartel-Clements, www.bartelclements.com/about.html.
“Feminist Art Movement, Artists and Major Works.” The Art Story, www.theartstory.org/movement-feminist-art.htm.
Kinser, Amber E. “Negotiating Spaces For/Through Third-Wave Feminism.” NWSA Journal, vol. 16, no. 3, 2004, pp. 124–153., doi:10.2979/nws.2004.16.3.124.
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