Feminism in Art: Learn it from the Past to Future

Since the start of humanity, men were preferred more over women. For example, they were allowed to get education at university and take higher positions than women as leaders. Besides, women and girls have always been at threat because they were viewed as more vulnerable.

To keep the balance and keep womanhood safe, something needed to be done; hence, feminism came forward. The idea behind feminism is that women should be placed as free as men and should be given equal rights.

History of the feminist movement

Feminism first appeared back in the 3rd century when the roman consul Marcus Porcius Cato started a movement against the laws that were limiting women to use expensive items.

Then in the 14th-century French philosopher, Christine de Pisan decided to run a campaign against the inferior status of women. After that, many motions were taken against the prevailing attitudes of men toward women. Some examples are the book “Epistolae familiares” by Laura Cereta, the great broadside publication by Moderata Fonte, and more.

The movement reached England in the late 16th-century, where people started battling over the essence of womanhood.

Women’s rights art

Your Body is a Battleground

“Your Body is a Battleground” by Barbara Kruger is a famous piece of feminist art that still resonates now as it did 25 years ago. It has probably been one of the most notable works of feminist art in history.

Barbara Kruger, who was born in 1945, was already a wholeheartedly great visual artist by 1989 when she made “Your Body Is a Battleground” for the Whitney Museum. Kruger eventually developed her own creative style, which consisted of incorporating pre-existing photos into her artwork and transforming them into something entirely new by overlaying text over the images.

Barbara Kruger presented the artwork to the public for the first time in 1989 during the women’s march in Washington. The artworks are on display until this day at the Los Angeles Museum of Art’s main hall.

Kruger, one of the most talented feminist artists, created this famous picture for the Women’s March on Washington in 1989, after a wave of anti-abortion measures that started to weaken Roe v. Wade’s constitutional protections for women. This decision allowed the American constitution to safeguard a pregnant woman’s right to abortion without pressure. Kruger depicted “Your Body Is a Battleground” as a poster in favor of women’s freedom to choose.

Trifles

Trifles is a one-act play created by Susan Glaspell back in 1916. Despite its early publication date, this piece is considered a work of feminist literature. It’s often studied at schools and universities, being a subject of discussion in class. Students are usually given essays on trifles, so they can reflect on feminism and get new insights while researching this topic and checking free writing samples on the web. Luckily, there are a lot of websites providing paper samples on various topics, including those about legendary Trifles.

This play describes the life of a woman who has been oppressed and subjugated by her patriarchal husband. Trifle contrast how women act in public and in private, especially in front of men. For the first time, it was performed at the Wharf Theater in Provincetown, Massachusett. The performance took place the same year as the play was published, during the first wave feminist movemen.

Blind to the BS

Blind to the BS is a marvelous piece of art painted by a famous Jamaican artist, Mikela Henry-Lowe. It is a representation of the projection of women in society, especially black women. With a striking color palette and precise lines, she managed to give life to a decades-long problem. Her extraordinary skills and a vision to help and inspire led to a very special oil painting.

This portrait appeared in the public in 2022, as a reminder of what women have to face. The blue mark on her eyes speaks of the constant try to make women blind in front of important affairs.

But if you look closely at Blind to the BS, you will notice the transparency of the mark that lets you see the purity of the woman’s eyes. Thus, Mikela speaks to you through her painting. Her scarf screams uniqueness, braveness, freedom and the blindfolded eyes are just not enough to silence a woman.

In addition, the rich color palette presents all of the layers of a woman’s soul, the beauty of different shapes and sizes and colors. This artwork is powerful, mesmerizing, and unique. The perfect combination to look at while reminding you that a woman is unstoppable.