Radical Gestures : Feminism and Performance Art in North America

Intro; Contents; List of Illustrations; Introduction; 1 Art, Politics, and Feminism in the 1960s; 2 The Origins of Feminist Art; 3 Cultural Feminism: The Essence of Difference; 4 Stories to Tell: Autobiography and Narrative; 5 Roles and Transformations; 6 Embodiment and Representation; Conclusion; Notes; Bibliography; Index; A; B; C; D; E; F; G; H; I; J; K; L; M; N; O; P; R; S; T; U; V; W; Y. Performance Art Was Finally Recognized As An Art Form In The 1970s. In Radical Gestures, The First Comprehensive History Of Feminist Performance Art In North America Within The Social Context Of The Feminist Movement And Avant-garde Art From The 1970s To 2000, Jayne Wark Shows That Artists Drew From Feminist Politics To Create Works That, Following A Long Period Of Modernist Aesthetic Detachment, Made A Unique Contribution To The Re-politicization Of Art. Wark Brings Together A Wide Range Of Artists, Including Lisa Steele, Martha Rosler, Lynda Benglis, Gillian Collyer, Margaret Dragu, And Sylvie Tourangeau, And Provides Detailed Readings And Viewings Of Individual Pieces, Many Of Which Have Not Been Studied In Detail Before. She Also Reassesses Assumptions About The Characteristics Of Feminist Art, Placing Feminist Performance Within The Wider Context Of Minimalism, Conceptualism, Land Art, And Happenings.--jacket. 1. Art, Politics, And Feminism In The 1960s -- 2. The Origins Of Feminist Art -- 3. Cultural Feminism: The Essence Of Difference -- 4. Stories To Tell: Autobiography And Narrative -- 5. Roles And Transformations -- 6. Embodiment And Representation. Jayne Wark. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [239]-265) And Index. "Performance art was finally recognized as an art form in the 1970s. In Radical Gestures, the first comprehensive history of feminist performance art in North America within the social context of the feminist movement and avant-garde art from the 1970s to 2000, Jayne Wark shows that artists drew from feminist politics to create works that, following a long period of modernist aesthetic detachment, made a unique contribution to the re-politicization of art." "Wark brings together a wide range of artists, including Lisa Steele, Martha Rosler, Lynda Benglis, Gillian Collyer, Margaret Dragu, and Sylvie Tourangeau, and provides detailed readings and viewings of individual pieces, many of which have not been studied in detail before. She also reassesses assumptions about the characteristics of feminist art, placing feminist performance within the wider context of minimalism, conceptualism, land art, and happenings."--Page 4 de la couverture Performance art was finally recognized as an art form in its own right in the 1970s. In Radical Gestures, Jayne Wark situates feminist performance art in the US and Canada in the social context of the feminist movement and avant-garde art from the 1970s to 2000. She shows that artists drew from feminist politics to create works that, after a long period of modernist aesthetic detachment, made a unique contribution to the re-politicization of art. Wark brings together a wide range of artists, including Lisa Steele, Martha Rosler, Lynda Benglis, Gillian Collyer, Margaret Dragu, and Sylvie Tourangeau, and provides detailed readings and viewings of individual pieces, many of which have not been studied in detail before. She reassesses assumptions about the generational and thematic characteristics of feminist art, placing feminist performance within the wider context of minimalism, conceptualism, land art, and happenings. Performance art was finally recognized as an art form in its own right in the 1970s. This work situates feminist performance art in the US and Canada in the social context of the feminist movement. Highlighting the important contributions of women artists, it shows that artists drew from feminist politics to create works.