A Stitch in Feminism

As I scrolled through the photos of artwork in the We Wanted a Revolution: Black Radical Women, 1965–85 exhibition on the Brooklyn Museum website, I was quickly drawn to one mural. This mural is called For the Women’s House (1971) and was created by Faith Ringgold. The mural shows women's progression in eight different scenes. The mural was created by Faith Ringgold for the Rikers Island Women’s prison. I found it fascinating that someone would take the time to create such motivational and inspiring artwork for people who society deemed as criminals. The different scenes include women in different careers such as the first female president, doctor, police officer, and professional basketball player. According to the website the women wanted the “long road leading out of here” message to be depicted. Ringgold gave them just that. She even included a scene where a white woman is driving a bus and the destination being called “2A Sojourner Truth Square.” It gives a message that there will be a time where black women actually reach that destination after their long road from segregation and inequality. When the Correctional Institution for Women became a male's prison in 1988 they had to get rid of the mural. A quote from the description under the mural image reads “Deemed inappropriate for the incoming male prisoners, the painting was whitewashed, but it was later saved by a guard, restored, and reinstalled in the new women’s prison, the Rose M. Singer Center, where it remains on view.” The quote surprised me because if the guard did not save that piece of art nobody would see all of the detailing and work that was put into it. It is now looked at by many black women and continues to be a motivation as it was back then. 

Another artist who explores a common theme, which is creating artwork to explore the equality of woman and man is Olek. Olek is a woman who is based in New York and uses her art to showcase her feminist views. Her career as an artist began in 1978. She is a conceptual artist who uses different materials, mostly crochet, for her art pieces. She uses objects that are already existent and transform them to give them a new identity and message. She is also an active supporter of women’s rights, sexual equality, and freedom of expression. Olek always makes sure her artwork is bright and pops. This is what is so interesting to me about her artwork. Her artwork contains political and cultural techniques but you would never notice or pay attention at first because the colors are so vibrant. She shows the world that artwork can be “girly” and still be as serious and meaningful as traditional pieces.  

The coolest part about Olek is that she utilizes instagram (@oleknyc). Her studio takes all photos of her pieces and she even includes herself in some photos. This reminds me of On Photography by Susan Sontag and Ways of Seeing by John Berger. Sontag talks about the importance of images and the ways it is better than other artwork like paintings. Pictures are a way to preserve something. Olek has photographs of all her artwork and even puts it on social media for everyone to see. Photographs are open to interpretation and that is why it is an artform. Olek is making her artwork open to the public. Olek’s work can relate to Ways of Seeing because John Berger talks about the way publicity affects the viewer’s mind. Olek is big on street art. She crochets on huge signs and gives the public something to talk about. She shapes their mind about whatever her artwork is about.  

The Dinner Party by Judy Chicago was created  around 1974-1979. The art is currently housed in the Center for Feminist Art at the Brooklyn Museum, just like the artwork in the We Wanted a Revolution: Black Radical Women, 1965–85 exhibition. Both of the artwork is about women’s rights and showcases a place for women. For the Women’s House (1971) shows women who can possibly be different important figures, such as the president, police officers, professional sports players. In contrast, The Dinner Party shows a large banquet table with porcelain plates for about forty notable women and “vulva-inspired designs representing Mother Nature, the vagina, and the life-giving properties of being female,” according to theartstory.org. There’s also 999 names of other women painted on the tiles below the table. There are hidden details in this art piece just like in the other art piece. I believe the audience could be everyone but it is directed towards women. The message for both artwork is to show that there is a place for women and they are capable of being great and are great. Both artwork also participates in the feminist revision of history, initiated during the 1970s. 

The Dinner Party (1974-1979)

https://stateoftheartsnyc.wordpress.com/2016/11/28/art-feminist-supports-refugees/