A Companion to Feminist Art (Blackwell Companions to Art History)

Original essays offering fresh ideas and global perspectives on contemporary feminist art The term 'feminist art' is often misused when viewed as a codification within the discipline of Art History—a codification that includes restrictive definitions of geography, chronology, style, materials, influence, and other definitions inherent to Art Historical and museological classifications. Employing a different approach, A Companion to Feminist Art defines 'art' as a dynamic set of material and theoretical practices in the realm of culture, and 'feminism' as an equally dynamic set of activist and theoretical practices in the realm of politics. Feminist art, therefore, is not a simple classification of a type of art, but rather the space where feminist politics and the domain of art-making intersect. The Companion provides readers with an overview of the developments, concepts, trends, influences, and activities within the space of contemporary feminist art—in different locations, ways of making, and ways of thinking. Newly-commissioned essays focus on the recent history of and current discussions within feminist art. Diverse in scope and style, these contributions range from essays on the questions and challenges of large sectors of artists, such as configurations of feminism and gender in post-Cold War Europe, to more focused conversations with women artists on Afropean decoloniality. Ranging from discussions of essentialism and feminist aesthetics to examinations of political activism and curatorial practice, the Companion informs and questions readers, introduces new concepts and fresh perspectives, and illustrates just how much more there is to discover within the realm of feminist art. Addresses the intersection between feminist thinking and major theories that have influenced art theory Incorporates diverse voices from around the world to offer viewpoints on global feminisms from scholars who live and work in the regions about which they write Examines how feminist art intersects with considerations of collectivity, war, maternal relationships, desire, men, and relational aesthetics Explores the myriad ways in which the experience of inhabiting and perceiving aged, raced, and gendered bodies relates to feminist politics in the art world Discusses a range practices in feminism such as activism, language, education, and different ways of making art The intersection of feminist art-making and feminist politics are not merely components of a unified whole, they sometimes diverge and divide. A Companion to Feminist Art is an indispensable resource for artists, critics, scholars, curators, and anyone seeking greater strength on the subject through informed critique and debate. This Book, However, Comes To The Term 'feminist Art' From A Different Direction. As Editors, We Have Approached 'art' As A Dynamic Set Of Material And Theoretical Practices In The Realm Of Culture, And 'feminism' As An Equally Dynamic Set Of Activist And Theoretical Practices In The Realm Of Politics. Given That Culture And Politics Constantly Intersect And Work Upon Each Other, 'feminist Art' For Us Is The Space And Place - The Site - Where Feminist Politics And The Domain Of Art-making Intersect-- The Term 'feminist Art' Is Often Misused When Viewed As A Codification Within The Discipline Of Art History--a Codification That Includes Restrictive Definitions Of Geography, Chronology, Style, Materials, Influence, And Other Definitions Inherent To Art Historical And Museological Classifications. Employing A Different Approach, A Companion To Feminist Art Defines 'art' As A Dynamic Set Of Material And Theoretical Practices In The Realm Of Culture, And 'feminism' As An Equally Dynamic Set Of Activist And Theoretical Practices In The Realm Of Politics. Feminist Art, Therefore, Is Not A Simple Classification Of A Type Of Art, But Rather The Space Where Feminist Politics And The Domain Of Art-making Intersect. The Companion Provides Readers With An Overview Of The Developments, Concepts, Trends, Influences, And Activities Within The Space Of Contemporary Feminist Art--in Different Locations, Ways Of Making, And Ways Of Thinking. Newly-commissioned Essays Focus On The Recent History Of And Current Discussions Within Feminist Art. Diverse In Scope And Style, These Contributions Range From Essays On The Questions And Challenges Of Large Sectors Of Artists, Such As Configurations Of Feminism And Gender In Post-cold War Europe, To More Focused Conversations With Women Artists On Afropean Decoloniality. Ranging From Discussions Of Essentialism And Feminist Aesthetics To Examinations Of Political Activism And Curatorial Practice, The Companion Informs And Questions Readers, Introduces New Concepts And Fresh Perspectives, And Illustrates Just How Much More There Is To Discover Within The Realm Of Feminist Art. Addresses The Intersection Between Feminist Thinking And Major Theories That Have Influenced Art Theory Incorporates Diverse Voices From Around The World To Offer Viewpoints On Global Feminisms From Scholars Who Live And Work In The Regions About Which They Write Examines How Feminist Art Intersects With Considerations Of Collectivity, War, Maternal Relationships, Desire, Men, And Relational Aesthetics Explores The Myriad Ways In Which The Experience Of Inhabiting And Perceiving Aged, Raced, And Gendered Bodies Relates To Feminist Politics In The Art World Discusses A Range Practices In Feminism Such As Activism, Language, Education, And Different Ways Of Making Art The Intersection Of Feminist Art-making And Feminist Politics Are Not Merely Components Of A Unified Whole, They Sometimes Diverge And Divide. A Companion To Feminist Art Is An Indispensable Resource For Artists, Critics, Scholars, Curators, And Anyone Seeking Greater Strength On The Subject Through Informed Critique And Debate.--from Back Cover Recurring Questions, Cyclical Energies : A History Of Feminist Art Practices In Australia / Julie Ewington -- Debunking The Patriarchy : Feminist Collectives In Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, And Peru / María Laura Rosa (translated By Maria Elena Buszek) -- Women Artists : Making A Subject Space In India / Gayatri Sinha -- Feminism As Activism In Contemporary South African Art / Karen Von Veh -- Moving Towards Paratactical Curating : A Critical Overview Of Feminist Curating In Istanbul In The Twenty-first Century / Ebru Yetișkin -- From Within, From Without : Configurations Of Feminism, Gender And Art In Post-wall Europe / Martina Pachmanová -- Crossing Borders And Other Dividers In Western Europe And The British Isles / Alexandra Kokoli -- Wheels And Waves In The Usa / Mira Schor -- Essentialism, Feminism, And Art : Spaces Where Woman Oozes Away / Amelia Jones -- Feminist Ageing : Representations Of Age In Feminist Art / Michelle Meagher -- Letters To Susan / Lubaina Himid -- Feminist Art Re-covered / Richard Meyer -- Collecting Creative Transcestors : Trans* Portraiture Hirstory, From Snapshots To Sculpture / Eliza Steinbock -- Witness It : Activism, Art, And The Feminist Performative Subject / Hilary Robinson -- Feminism And Language / Griselda Pollock -- Busy Hands, Light Work : Toward A Feminist Historiography Of Hand-made Photography In The Era Of The 'new Materiality' / Harriet Riches -- Reading Posthumanism In Feminist New Media Art / Maria Fernandez -- Finding Ourselves Feminists : Curating And Exhibitions / Lucy Day And Eliza Gluckman -- Erasure, Transformation And The Politics Of Pedagogy As Feminist Artistic/curatorial Practice / Felicity Allen -- Art Matters : Feminist Corporeal-materialist Aesthetics / Marsha Meskimmon -- The Hidden Abode Beneath/behind/beyond The Factory Floor, Gendered Labor, And The Human Strike : Claire Fontaine's Italian Marxist Feminism / Jaleh Mansoor -- Dear World : Arts And Theories Of Queer Feminism / Tirza Latimer -- From Representation To Affect : Beyond Postmodern Identity Politics In Feminist Art / Susan Best -- Call And Response : Conversations With Three Women Artists On Afropean Decoloniality / Alanna Lockward -- On Feminism, Art And Collaboration / Amy Tobin -- Opening The Patriarchive : Photography, Feminism, And State Violence / Siona Wilson -- Maternal Mattering : The Performance And Politics Of The Maternal In Contemporary Art / Natalie Loveless -- Ars Eroticas Of Their Own Making : Explicit Sexual Imagery In American Feminist Art / Tanya Augsburg -- Masculinity, Art, And Value Extraction : An Intersectional Reading In The Advance Of Capital As Post-democracy / Angela Dimitrakaki -- New Subjects And Subjectivities / Jill Bennett. Edited By Hilary Robinson And Maria Elena Buszek. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Frontmatter......Page 4 Contents......Page 7 Series Editor Preface......Page 10 About the Editors......Page 11 Notes on Contributors......Page 12 Introduction......Page 18 Part I - Geographies......Page 31 1 - Recurring Questions, Cyclical Energies: A History of Feminist Art Practices in Australia......Page 32 2 - Debunking the Patriarchy: Feminist Collectives in Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, and Peru......Page 51 3 - Women Artists: Making a Subject Space in India......Page 66 4 - Feminism as Activism in Contemporary South African Art......Page 81 5 - Moving Towards Paratactical Curating: A Critical Overview of Feminist Curating in Istanbul in the Twenty‐First Century......Page 103 6 - From Within, From Without: Configurations of Feminism, Gender and Art in Post‐Wall Europe......Page 123 7 - Crossing Borders and Other Dividers in Western Europe and the British Isles......Page 139 8 - Wheels and Waves in the USA......Page 152 Part II - Being......Page 166 9 - Essentialism, Feminism, and Art: Spaces Where Woman “Oozes Away”......Page 167 10 - Feminist Ageing: Representations of Age in Feminist Art......Page 190 11 - Letters to Susan......Page 207 12 - Feminist Art Re‐Covered......Page 222 13 - Collecting Creative Transcestors: Trans* Portraiture Hirstory, from Snapshots to Sculpture......Page 232 Part III - Doing......Page 250 14 - Witness It: Activism, Art, and the Feminist Performative Subject......Page 251 15 - Feminism and Language......Page 267 16 - Busy Hands, Light Work: Toward a Feminist Historiography of Hand‐Made Photography in the Era of the ‘New Materiality’......Page 288 17 - Reading Posthumanism in Feminist New Media Art......Page 304 18 - Finding Ourselves Feminists: Curating and Exhibitions......Page 320 19 - Erasure, Transformation and the Politics of Pedagogy as Feminist Artistic/Curatorial Practice......Page 335 Part IV - Thinking......Page 355 20 - Art Matters: Feminist Corporeal‐Materialist Aesthetics......Page 356 21 - The Hidden Abode Beneath/Behind/Beyond the Factory Floor, Gendered Labor, and the Human Strike: Claire Fontaine’s Italian Marxist Feminism......Page 371 22 - Dear World: Arts and Theories of Queer Feminism......Page 390 23 - From Representation to Affect: Beyond Postmodern Identity Politics in Feminist Art......Page 405 24 - Call and Response: Conversations with Three Women Artists on Afropean Decoloniality......Page 418 Part V - Relating......Page 435 25 - On Feminism, Art and Collaboration......Page 436 26 - Opening the Patriarchive: Photography, Feminism, and State Violence......Page 455 27 - Maternal Mattering: The Performance and Politics of the Maternal in Contemporary Art......Page 471 28 - Ars Eroticas of Their Own Making: Explicit Sexual Imagery in American Feminist Art......Page 488 29 - Masculinity, Art, and Value Extraction: An Intersectional Reading in the Advance of Capital as Post‐Democracy......Page 508 30 - New Subjects and Subjectivities......Page 527 Index......Page 539

Original essays offering fresh ideas and global perspectives on contemporary feminist art

The term 'feminist art' is often misused when viewed as a codification within the discipline of Art History—a codification that includes restrictive definitions of geography, chronology, style, materials, influence, and other definitions inherent to Art Historical and museological classifications. Employing a different approach, A Companion to Feminist Art defines 'art' as a dynamic set of material and theoretical practices in the realm of culture, and 'feminism' as an equally dynamic set of activist and theoretical practices in the realm of politics. Feminist art, therefore, is not a simple classification of a type of art, but rather the space where feminist politics and the domain of art-making intersect. The Companion provides readers with an overview of the developments, concepts, trends, influences, and activities within the space of contemporary feminist art—in different locations, ways of making, and ways of thinking.

Newly-commissioned essays focus on the recent history of and current discussions within feminist art. Diverse in scope and style, these contributions range from essays on the questions and challenges of large sectors of artists, such as configurations of feminism and gender in post-Cold War Europe, to more focused conversations with women artists on Afropean decoloniality. Ranging from discussions of essentialism and feminist aesthetics to examinations of political activism and curatorial practice, the Companion informs and questions readers, introduces new concepts and fresh perspectives, and illustrates just how much more there is to discover within the realm of feminist art.

• Addresses the intersection between feminist thinking and major theories that have influenced art theory
• Incorporates diverse voices from around the world to offer viewpoints on global feminisms from scholars who live and work in the regions about which they write
• Examines how feminist art intersects with considerations of collectivity, war, maternal relationships, desire, men, and relational aesthetics
• Explores the myriad ways in which the experience of inhabiting and perceiving aged, raced, and gendered bodies relates to feminist politics in the art world
• Discusses a range practices in feminism such as activism, language, education, and different ways of making art

The intersection of feminist art-making and feminist politics are not merely components of a unified whole, they sometimes diverge and divide. A Companion to Feminist Art is an indispensable resource for artists, critics, scholars, curators, and anyone seeking greater strength on the subject through informed critique and debate.

"This book, however, comes to the term 'feminist art' from a different direction. As editors, we have approached 'art' as a dynamic set of material and theoretical practices in the realm of culture, and 'feminism' as an equally dynamic set of activist and theoretical practices in the realm of politics. Given that culture and politics constantly intersect and work upon each other, 'feminist art' for us is the space and place - the site - where feminist politics and the domain of art-making intersect"-- Résumé de l'éditeur