This where you should be posting your paper. A few important things. You need to COPY and PASTE your assignment in a comment to this post. In addition, as I mentioned to you in class, I WANT a paper copy in addition to the posting. The posting will confirm to me that you have submitted the assignment on time, but I still want a paper copy, either during the section, or during class. Finally, make sure you have read the instructions carefully as a big part of your grade for this assignment is based on whether you can follow instructions.....
For this time only, you should know that I will not be attending the large class section as I have to catch a plane to go to a conference. So, please hand in your assignment to Maren Cummings (another TA). She is one of the black TA with the Fro-awk. She should let you know at the beginning who she is. Otherwise ask any TA and they will direct you to her. Alternatively, you can leave the paper version in my mailbox in Woods Hall (2nd Floor). In all cases, please make sure your assignment is posted on time!
Have a great week end and good luck with the final revision of your assignment. I hope you enjoyed the museums!
Gen
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
20 comments:
Assignment One
The National Museum of Women in the Arts was founded by Wilhelmina Holiday and her husband in 1981. A portrait of herself stands in the entrance corridor of the museum in honor of her great achievements. My assumptions about the museum were basically right on point. I assumed that there would be all women employees, but discovered that a man was working at the security desk. Also, I assumed that all the paintings and exhibits would contain women in which turned out to be true. I assumed that the museum would have feminine décor; I ended up seeing gold railings, grand chandeliers, pink trim along the ceiling, floral wallpaper, and a salmon color marble for the columns.
I found this museum to be a feminist art venue because it is the only museum in the world that is dedicated to recognizing the contributions of women artists. Starting in the 1960’s, Wilhelmina Holiday and her husband dedicated more than 20 years of their life collecting art by women to showcase women artists. I also sense that this venue is feminist because the paintings in each collection involved women or portrayed them in some way. In my criteria to determine which venues were feminists, observing the amount of art work that had women present was a main part. Also, each pamphlet I got from the information desk had a woman on the front.
One collection that startled me was by Paula Rego. His paintings called “Pillowman” were very disturbing; I felt uneasy and felt as if I were looking at a painting that was telling a very sad story. “Pillowman” is a character in about four of her paintings; this figure makes the paintings look freakish and very bizarre. After seeing these few paintings I figured out new ideas about art. Not all art is beautiful and feminine; it goes to show that different artists have different views on feminism and women. Another painting that was very disturbing by Paula Rego was of a women sitting in an army uniform with a mustache. There was a female hostage in the background escaping only wearing a bra and a plastic bag. I thought this was very odd because the woman had a mustache. I also questioned why would a woman keep another woman hostage? I feel like this painting showed me that women can be just as powerful and masculine as men. In other places around the museum, I observed very delicate and elegant pictures of women. In the permanent collection, it contained more portraits of women by themselves; it seemed to portray women of high class.
The National Museum of the American Indian exhibits the ways of life, art, and history of Native Americans throughout the Western Hemisphere. I assumed this art venue would not be a feminist museum, but instead would be of collection of exhibits representing different American Indian tribes throughout history. After going through a good portion of the museum, I realized that there wasn’t really any artwork by specific artists but fragments and objects displayed in cases to represent different cultures of the American Indians.
One interesting exhibit I spotted was called “Identity by Design: tradition, change, and celebration in native women’s dresses.” Right by reading the name of the room I assumed it was a feminist exhibit, my assumptions were true. This exhibit was set up by 6 female artists whose main skills were designing dresses for the museum to discuss the dress collection of Indian women. The exhibit explains how cultures reinforce their identity through making and wearing of dresses. Wearing a dress that reflects tribal style is a way for a woman to express unity with her people. Because this exhibit was set up to remember the American Indian women, the caption under each life-sized dress on display had a picture of a woman wearing that specific dress. “The Give Away Horses Dress” was my favorite display compared to the others. The dresses had vibrant colors, beads, tassels, and extravagant beaded and feathered headdresses.
The Hirshhorn is a museum of international modern and contemporary art. By far, this museum was my favorite among the four visited. I love abstract artwork, the fact that even when you are staring at this type of art for so long you still have no idea what is going on. Also, this was my favorite venue because there was so much variety, paintings, sculptures, videos, objects, pictures, etc. Every room I went into was something new and exciting to look at.
As I was going up the escalator to the third floor, a picture named “Bedroom Painting” by Tom Wesselman caught me by surprise. When I saw this picture, I felt happy; the colors were beautiful and bright. I decided to sit in front of it for a little while and ponder what the picture was trying to say. From observing the painting for a little while, I felt as if the painting might be telling a sad story. This painting was of a woman with an expression on her face and a picture frame next to her that held a picture resembling someone close to this woman. I think the woman with the expression on her face was engaging in sexual intercourse and the person in the picture frame on the bedside table might have been her mom. The picture was facing the woman “having sex” so I feel that the picture represents her mom’s disappointment in her daughter for her actions. Also, everything in the painting looked so pure, the skin of the woman looked so soft and perfect, but the black headboard above the bed stuck out to me. I feel that the black headboard represented the daughter’s shame in herself for what her life has become. For this woman, her life might have become a life of pleasing men and that is the only thing that can make herself feel good.
A display of paintings that caught me off guard was by Willem de Kooning; his pictures were labeled “Woman.” Going around the room and observing his paintings, I got the impression that he was making fun of women and their bodies. It seemed as if in all of them women were naked, but every single picture was smudged and sloppy and very unappealing. His paintings were distortions of women’s bodies and I didn’t like it at all. I feel that maybe this artist had a bad relationship with his mother or some female figure in his life and he’s expressing his feelings through his paintings.
A feminist display that I saw in the Hirshhorn was by Carolee Schneeman. I think this display is feminist because the artist was portraying the feminist practice in the 1960’s through her pictures. Her inspiring artwork explores the body, gender, and sexuality of women through performances and photography. After observing the pictures in this exhibit, I felt scared and very disturbed; it made women look like savages and beasts. The woman in all the pictures was dirty and scruffy looking; she had fangs in some of them and had very angry expressions.
The last museum I went to was the National Gallery of Art. This museum has an East and West wing to the building, a cafeteria, and an outdoor sculpture garden containing modern and contemporary sculptures. I figured this was not going to be a feminist museum but assumed there was going to be a large variety of artwork throughout the building. One part of the museum that I liked the most was the fountains. As you walk down, what looks like the main hallway, there are grand fountains with beautiful flowers surrounding the base. I couldn’t help but just stare at the sculptures in the middle of the fountains. Once I got past the fountains, there was a smaller hallway that was occupied by beautiful white statues of naked men and women. The statues varied in size and shape; it was interesting looking at the different positions of the statues and the expressions on their faces. Off of that hallway was a room called “The Chester Dale Collection.” As I was observing the pictures in this one room, it seemed as if the pictures were portraying the life of women and young girls in the 1800’s. I concluded that this exhibit of paintings was feminist. Girls were wearing puffy dresses with corsets holding fans to keep themselves cool. The women and girls painted in the pictures had frail skin and upright posture. In one of the pictures, there was little girl being read to by her mother, the girl was sitting in a straight-up position with a very serious face. Comparing girls in the paintings to girls of today, I feel that girls today are read to when they’re laying in their beds and laughing along with the story; girls back then were so serious and had to be proper constantly.
After visiting the four museums, I can safely say that I understand now how art can represent feminism and women through many different perspectives. Some artists may show women in a beautiful perspective like the Permanent Collection at the National Museum of Women in the Arts or in a disgusting, savage perspective like Carolee Schneeman at the Hirshhorn Museum. I got to see a variety of artwork; proving my assumptions both wrong and right. I have discovered that I can read art. Although I could be looking at art with another person, both of us will not be reading the same “story” and perceiving the art the same way. From what I saw throughout the four venues, I feel that I can “read” art better and further explain how artists themselves can show emotion and feelings through their artwork.
My Assumptions
National Museum of Women in the Arts
1. I assumed this would be a feminist venue
2. I assumed there would be all women employees
3. I assumed there would be feminine décor
4. I assumed that all the artwork would contain or portray women in some way
5. I assumed that there would be more paintings than any other artwork
6. I assumed the paintings were going to be beautiful and elegant
National Museum of the American Indian
1. I assumed this would not be a feminist museum
2. I assumed a lot of the museum was going to be objects and artifacts from different tribes
3. I assumed there wasn’t going to be much artwork by specific artists
4. I assumed I would find some type of exhibit containing a feminist perspective
Hirshhorn: Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art
1. I assumed this would not be a feminist museum
2. I assumed there would be more variety in artwork
3. I assumed there was going to be a lot of sculptures
4. I assumed there was going to be a lot of artwork that I wouldn’t be able to understand
5. I assumed I would find some type of exhibit containing a feminist perspective
6. I assumed I would find some art that I would find not to be art
National Gallery of Art
1. I assumed this would not be a feminist museum
2. I assumed I would see a lot of large artwork, such as, fountains and sculptures
3. I assumed I would find some type of exhibit containing a feminist perspective
4. I assumed I would get lost
5. I assumed there would be a lot of tourists
6. I assumed there would be a lot of open space for people to walk
7. I assumed a lot of the paintings would be of people that lived hundreds of years ago
8. I assumed I would get bored quickly
The most surprising experience of the assignment was the lack of in-your-face art at the Museum for Women in the Arts. I assumed that there would be very political or controversial art. I also expected to see various types of art such as performance art, musical art etc. The only performance art I saw was about 10 photographs of women (and men!) sitting next to a musical instrument. While it appeared that much of the permanent collection was not open for view on the day I attended, what was available looked like very traditional typical art that one would see in any art museum; I suppose that a major difference was that the art was by women however. With the exception of the Paula Rego exhibit, the museum lacked the cutting edge political statements that I anticipated. My assumptions might have been skewed, being raised in the New York lesbian and gay community. But I really thought the art would be full of a variety of mediums, with political statements about gender, power, history, etc. At the same time, I can appreciate that a piece of art from many years ago, during a time which modern society depicts men as the sole authors of art, that simply a woman’s painting and its message, also represents feminism.
The Paula Rego exhibit showcased feminism. The work, from a female perspective, about female issues, made viewers stop and think about gender and related issues from a female perspective. This is the type of work I expected throughout the museum. The abortion paintings seemed to really stand out because they were so dramatic. Sitting on a bucket seemed so shocking, especially since my frame of reference is a modern U.S. medicalized perspective of abortion. As such, it made me think about abortions for women in history and place where they performed their own abortions. It also made me think about access to birth control, which historically is controlled by some people in each society, and its intersection with female/male sexuality. Rego’s work felt feminist to me, and met my expectations and assumptions, because I could feel the tension and strength in her work, through the bold colors, lines, imagery, and symbolism. Before even examining a piece, I could tell at a quick glance that she was powerfully trying to say something about gender in each piece. For example she portrayed ballerinas as large muscular women with bodies much like a man. My assumption when I see a picture of a ballerina is that she will be extremely skinny and dressed in pink. I found it interesting that when she portrayed violence, controversy, or issues with animals, it seemed as if she was too uncomfortable to come out and talk about the problem, so she had to veil it with animal caricatures, which seems uniquely female.
A friend said that I should have attended the Whacked exhibit a few months ago instead. Apparently, the exhibit had an effect on her, and from talking to her, I can assume that was also a feminist exhibit; sort of the vagina art that I am accustomed to and assumed I would be seeing.
The ‘Book as Art’ exhibit did not do much to excite me, which was a disappointment. At the front desk, I was told that the exhibit was so wonderful, which got me excited. While it was creative and entertaining, it didn’t help much in my understanding of feminism. Perhaps it was not supposed to.
I think the women’s art museum as a whole was feminist, simply because it was art by women, which hasn’t had it place in art history. But I think the Rego exhibit was feminist because it met my assumptions about what is feminist art, by making the viewer think about issues pertaining to women.
Regarding the Holocaust museum, especially Daniel’s Story, I found that women’s voices were present in the presentation of the messages and the history, which was the opposite of what I assumed. I expected that the museum would have just had the typical gruesome videos, storyboards, and a few artifacts. The long hallway of shoes, gave one a sense of the enormity of the tragedy, as well as personalized the experience, as one could imagine the individuals who once wore them; women, men, and children. The whole museum itself was designed in an experiential method, from the freight elevator to the gray walls. I felt the depersonalization that I think the designer intended. But Daniel’s story really seemed to be an experiential method of telling the Holocaust story. It was as if I was Daniel, living in his home and community. It was like I was living in his diary. I felt the nurturing of his mother and the comfort of his home, as well as the fear and misery after leaving his home. This method seemed more powerful than looking at more of the same usual photos of the holocaust, as it personalized the story. While I’m not sure how that was feminist, I assume it is because the method of storytelling is unique and feminine, relying on Daniel’s sense of home and family from a first person perspective, rather than based upon facts and photos from a second or third person perspective. This part of the museum seemed to be the best form of art that I saw because it was art I could actually experience. My personal opinion is that a piece of art is good if it can make you think about and feel what it is trying to portray, and this exhibit did just that.
In the Holocaust Museum, I was also glad to see the incorporation of the feminine in the story, rather than simply having a separate room about women’s issues. Women were incorporated in each aspect of the museum. Information about the female experience was included as equal to experiences that were not uniquely feminine. For example, women were written about and featured on the poster boards, included in the videos, and included in the pieces, regardless of whether they were victims or perpetrators. Their stories were a part of the history, not a separate section.
In the National Museum of the American Indian, I had conflicting assumptions and feelings about what to expect. On the one hand, I assumed that women’s pieces would be artistically beautiful, and thus would be highlighted in the museum. But on the other hand, my experience living next to a reservation for ten years, I thought that the museum would put females into very traditional molds, and not portray the gender diversity that exists in some tribes. I assumed men would be in art as chiefs and women as mothers and homemakers.
I expected to see art of culture, not just typical paintings, drawing or photographs. This assumption held strong as I saw pottery, papooses, dresses etc. Most of the art was dedicated to showing the cultures throughout different tribes. I had a feeling that American Indian women themselves throughout history might have had more to say or showcase. For example, I’m not convinced that such a clear cut history exists among American Indians. This bias is probably due to my experience with Native Americans, including gays and lesbians, also including a friend who wrote his autobiography as a gay Indian, as well as my personal understanding that some Native Americans in power today refuse to acknowledge that one can be gay and Native American. Therefore, I acknowledge some personal bias in viewing the museum, assuming that it would not reflect the stories of Indians with diverse gender identity or sexuality, or two-spirited people. That is not to say that it devalued the contributions of the beautiful artifacts that the museum does exhibit, as it is feminist in that it includes the story of American Indian Women. There was a lot of beautiful art but I personally found little feminism.
The National Gallery of Art holds so much art that it is almost incomprehensible. My biggest assumption was that it would be large, which was immediately proven to be true. I expected a real cut and dry setting, much like a library, which also seemed to be true. Surprisingly, I feel that this museum is feminist; something that I assumed would not be the case. Much of the art was of a woman, whether painted, sculpted etc. It showed women of all eras which I loved. I did not expect to see any performance art or any art being made right there. I quickly noticed the amount of artists that had set up their own easel and began to create art right in front of me. This museum was obviously filled with what I consider art and had a feminine touch here and there. I had very few assumptions that were challenged.
The National Museum of Women and the Arts
I assumed with a name that included “and the Arts” it would include performance art, women musicians and various other forms of art. The only thing that seemed remotely close to that was a room with about 10 photographs of women (and men!) sitting next to the instrument they play.
I assumed the art would be more “in your face” or controversial.
I assumed there would be more modern art.
I assumed only women would work there and the majority of viewers would be women.
I assumed there would be multiple artists exhibited.
I assumed there would be art by women, for women and about women.
I assumed there would be art that made statements about motherhood, gender, career, abortion, sexuality, age and art that shows women’s bodies.
I assumed there would be a variety of mediums.
I assumed there would be art that challenges the meaning of what is a “woman”, for example transsexuals.
The National Museum of the American Indian
I assumed it would be new.
I assumed there would be a lot of beads, pottery and artifacts like arrow heads.
I assumed the art would portray men as chiefs and women as mothers and homemakers.
I assumed it would not include two spirited people.
I assumed the staff would be primarily Native American people.
U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum
I assumed that there would be graphic, shocking images that would turn my stomach.
I assumed there would be an actual section dediat cated to women and children in the Holocaust.
I assumed it would be emotionally powerful.
I assumed it would address religion, race, nationality and sexual orientation.
National Gallery of Art
I assumed it would be large.
I assumed there would be a lot of different exhibits.
I assumed it would be quiet and much like a library.
I assumed there would be art with all different mediums.
I assumed there would be no performance art or people actually creating art right in the museum.
Washington D.C. is a place filled with museums and within those museums is more history than you can imagine. No matter what museum you decide to visit and what type of history interests you, it is impossible not to find a place that fits. For me those four museums were The National Museum of Women and the Arts, The National Museum of the American Indian, The National Gallery of Art, and The U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum. While all of these museums were very different they also had exhibits that were quite alike.
My roommate and I started out at the National Museum of Women and the Arts. When we got there we were fairly surprised with what we found. We thought we would find is an overly feminist boring museum filled with boring dead paintings. To my pleasant surprise the exhibits where quite interesting, from the permanent collection to the temporary exhibit, there was always an interesting piece. While the permanent collection was not my favorite exhibit it did have a set of antique silver that women used to use in the kitchens, which I found to be very beautiful and intriguing. My favorite though was the temporary exhibit, which showed the artwork of a woman named Paula Reglo. It amazed me how she was able to capture the intensity of certain issues like abortion. Though in some ways, my roommate and I were correct, this was a very feminist museum. This was confirmed for us as we watched the video they had on the second floor , which explained to us how the museum came to be. If you find yourself interested in this type of museum and would like to see the next type of exhibit they will be showcasing, you can always visit their information desk, which is located right across from the cashiers’ office. Whatever one chooses this is a museum that is worth your time to stop and see.
The second museum we saw was The National Museum of the American Indian. My thoughts on what this museum would be were quite different than the first. I was expecting to be absolutely blown away by the exhibits and its history. What I found though was much like the first museum where I was intrigued by certain exhibits and bored by others. The Our Universes and the temporary exhibits were quite intriguing, from the information about what the natives believed, to seeing what the dresses women wore back then looked like. Though I was unfortunately disappointed with the Our People and the Our Lives exhibits, because they did not make your imagination soar or really seem to “wow” you. There also was ways in which this museum differed from the first museum, the main difference being that the museum as a whole was not feminist. It did though have a temporary exhibit that was feminist, but still as a whole it lacked in the feminist quality. In fact, I didn’t get the feeling that art by women had a large place for itself in this museum at all. Regardless, it was a great experience to get to see the true history of the American Indian.
The third museum I visited was the National Gallery of Art, this was a museum that I have I wanted to see for years and it didn’t let me down. The way in which the gallery was set up made it easy to navigate and better understand. We started with the contemporary abstract genre, in which I found a new love for Jackson Pollock, and we ended with the Renaissance genre. I found that the amount of feminism you found in this museum really depended upon which time frame you were in. For example, the Italian gothic exhibit and renaissance sculpture exhibit were quite feminist while the abstract exhibit wasn’t that feminist at all. From this museum I was able to infer that, when it comes to art over such a wide timeline, that the amount of feminism changes according to what time frame you are in. Still, this was by far my favorite museum due to the mass amount of sculptures and sculptures are my favorite type of art.
The fourth and final museum we attended was the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum. I had heard about this museum’s permanent exhibit for years and was thrilled to finally get to see it for myself. What I found was a very real dose of reality. Even though we have all heard of the events of the Holocaust from the time of grade school it never hits too hard as it does during this tour. While this museum was not at all feminist, due to it being a museum dedicated to making sure the American people remember what happened during Hitler’s reign, it was still very powerful. The permanent exhibit at this museum starts on the fourth floor and moves downward taking you from the beginning of Hitler’s mind-washing to the liberators’ final arrival. While some may say that this type of exhibit is not art, I disagree. The ability to evoke such emotion, by simply showing you the beds that prisoners of concentration camps slept in and the mass amount of shoes found after the camps were cleared is art. It is the technique of knowing what artifacts will be able to take you back to that time, and make you feel the horror that makes it art. It truly surprised me on how well they were able to do that, and I commend the artists as it is very hard to capture that type of pain. This was without a doubt a museum that I would love to take others to and let them see that art comes in many forms.
I was pretty skeptical when I first got this assignment, because I didn’t know if I would truly enjoy seeing all these museums. Luckily though, what I found is that even in a feminist or non-feminist museum there is always something that will catch your eye and is worth seeing even if it takes hours to find. Also, I got a new understanding of what feminism is. I used to think it was the people yelling at you that women’s rights are the most important issue in our country and that we need to spend every moment of our time fighting for them. After this assignment though, I believe feminism is just the way in which women are proud of what they do and who they are. I am thankful that this assignment opened my eyes to new experience and ideals.
Assumptions
1. I assumed I would be bored but you can really feel the pain in some of these paintings.
2. I assumed that you would never be able to capture the horror of home abortions but the abortion series really does.
3. I assumed the museum’s appearance would be cold but it was surprisingly warm.
4. I assumed that you would have to read all the captions by the paintings but instead during some you can actually call in and get the information told to you.
5. I assumed that the owners of the museum would pay for everything but actually there seems to be a lot of private funding.
6. I assumed that the Holocaust museum would be more welcoming but the security and the people working there were very rude.
7. I assumed that the National Gallery of Art would be just one building but it was in fact two buildings.
During my visit to the many different museums, I found myself learning new interesting aspects of art that I never before realized. Not only did I see art in a different perspective, my beliefs about feminism was greatly shaken up. At the beginning, I have always assumed that feminism was about being graceful, poetic and delicate. My naïve belief was greatly altered by the exhibit in the National Museum of women and the arts because a majority of the art was not beautiful and tender. On the second level of the museum, the entire floor was dedicated to the work of Paula Rego, whose art told stories and used familiar characters. Many pieces of her art were ugly and grotesque, showing strange and unexpected actions. For example, there was a painting called “The Shakespeare room” and it depicted a woman holding a gun to a stuffed monkey. Not only was the painting shocking, it was totally against what I thought women’s art should look like. The woman was not revealed in a gratifying way, but instead in a horrific depiction of evilness and wickedness. The monkey’s looked as if they had been brutally killed and tortured, as if the woman was a mother who mistreated her own children. Although it was shocking to me to see these types of artwork in a Women’s Museum, I realized that this museum is feminist since it does demonstrate the achievements and creativity of women. Feminism is not about the predisposed notion of the role of women and their duties to the families, but instead feminism is about the rights of women and their political, economical, and social equality that they deserve. By using art as a form of communication to society, women have been able to assert themselves powerfully and reveal their competence equal to men. In the museum, the art is feminist in that there is a wide variety of the type of forms of art. First of all, the museum is beautiful and majestic in the entrance. The white and pink marble was a beautiful scene that complemented the impressive staircase that lead up to the different levels. In addition, there were about seven portraits in gold frames of beautiful women dressed in nineteenth century clothes. There were gold sculptures intertwined with the architecture of the building, as well as sparkling chandeliers that made visitors feel that softness and beauty of women. On the other hand, there were revolting pictures that also showed another complex side of women. It demonstrated that women have the ability, equal to men, to create art full of meaning to convey the harshness of reality. In one painting called Olga, the description talks of a woman from Portugal who came to America and took care of children, but in the painting Olga is clearly a male wearing female clothing with a girl between his legs. The majority of paintings done by Paula Rego were dark and drab, with rough edges and meanings focusing on war or pain. The depictions of women were compared to men, since the women were thick and muscular, resembling more of a typical male then the slender delicate female. On the other hand, the permanent collection was closer to my ideology of women’s art. The women portrayed in the paintings seemed graceful and soft, as if they were simply wives and mothers.
In The National Museum of the American Indian, a whole different aspect of women and arts were formed around me. First of all, I was impacted by the displays that they considered art. I was surprised to find that many forms of art were also practical instruments for Native Americans, like their canoes and shelters. Even though I already knew a little background information about Native Americans, when I first looked at the tepees standing in the entrance of the museum, I was surprised to realize that it is in fact art, and that each one has a special meaning with symbols and drawings painted on to it. Also, I realized that although this museum does not focus of women and feminism, it is a feminist museum. For the first time, I went to a museum thinking about women and their rights, and I was delighted to discover that women were focused on just as much as men. On the top level of the museum, there is a collage of Native Americans who are young, old, male and female, and I was surprised that there were just as many female faces as male. This demonstrates that the importance of Native American women was not neglected, but instead given equal stance as men. In the descriptions of the tribes and their impact on America, many women Native American’s were interviewed as asked about their personal experience. Politically, there was a showroom talking about the rights that Native American’s have and the unfairness that they experienced when the Europeans arrived. Just as the male population experienced these hardships, the women were also asked about the difficulties they encountered as well. In a documentary, it was describing how the pottery and skills of Native American women are still surviving due to the strength and movement of women. With this relationship of feminism and art, I was able to infer that feminism is a part of every female, and that art is a powerful tool to affirm women’s important role in society.
In the Hirshhorn museum, the common notion of art is greatly debated and held under controversy. Simple forms and shapes that some people may not say is art was displayed and honored on the walls of this museum. I was greatly surprised to learn about what constitutes as art and how some people may find art in the simplest of objects. For example, I always assumed that art was a type of grand and famous painting that was revered for its details and splendor, like one painted by Leonardo da Vinci. In the museum, my belief was changed as I saw art being made out of wire hangers, of miniature nails, and of simple blended colors. One entire room held four gigantic paintings that were of either solid colors or colors combined. It seemed as if the painter simply soaked the canvas in one color and then considered it art. Besides my assumption of art, my assumptions of feminism were again shaken up by this museum. This museum is feminist because it displayed the boldness and determination of females. Many pieces of art focused on how women are different from the common perception, and that they are willing to go against the norm. In one exhibition, a woman tattooed the names of over 300 individuals who faced discrimination and death for being gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transsexual. Every name was tattooed and then blood stained onto a piece of paper, so that it will be an example to other minorities that they came out and fought for their rights.
In the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, I felt emotionally disturbed to be reminded of the horrific event of the Holocaust. Since this museum was reviving a part of our history, I did not specifically think about art or feminism as much as I thought about human rights and social injustice. When looking through the different exhibitions, I was entranced in learning about the cruelty of humans and how some who believe they are superior can try to delete another race. The way that the museum told the story of the Holocaust is through ingenious art displays in the whole environment. I was amazed to see how they transformed the entire building into different sections that made visitors feel like they were reliving the past. I feel that this museum is not feminist because it does not concentrate on women’s rights or their fight for equality; rather it focuses on a part of history. Women are a very important part in the ideology of the museum because the Nazi’s were trying to rid the world of minority groups that they believed were filthy and unclean; these included groups as the Jews, mentally disabled, and gays. Since women rights are included in minority groups, I do not feel that the Holocaust focuses on women or feminism since it does not meet the definition of trying to gain political movement for women and end sexism.
The National Museum of Women and the Arts
• I assumed that the entire museum would be full of paintings about women
• I assumed that the paintings would be of beautiful women in flowing dresses
• I assumed that there would be a lot of sculptures and pottery made by women
• I assumed that there would be old ladies with gray hair talking and discussing about the art but there were none.
• I assumed that because it was a museum of women that there would be no pictures of men or young boys
• I assumed that there would not be a café in the museum because it would take away from the museum’s status of imposing importance
• I assumed that women would be characterized in their traditional form of cook and cleaning in the house
The National Museum of the American Indian
• I assumed that the museum would focus on mostly the historical aspect of Indians and their mistreatment from the white people
• I assumed that there would be fake Indian figures wearing traditional clothes like in the Smithsonian
• I assumed that there would only be Indian pottery and hunting tools displayed
• I assumed that the museum would display American Indians as seeming primitive and living life in the forest (like how they are portrayed in movies)
The National Gallery of Art
• I assumed that the sculpture garden would display grand elegant pictures of half naked people
• I assumed that most of the art would be made out of marble or glass
• I assumed that since the museum seems traditional, that they would not use common material like cardboard to demonstrate art
• I assumed that beauty in the gallery of art would consist of flowers and fountains that was prominent in the front of the museum
Hirshhorn
• I assumed a museum would not display art with simplistic objects like nails or hangers
• I assumed that this museum would not discuss such topics as sexuality or human rights
• I assumed that most of the paintings with colors would not be as large as it was (taking up the whole wall)
• I assumed that art would not be exhibited in forms as videos or music
U.S Holocaust Memorial Museum
• I assumed that the museum would not have their visitors actively participate in the exhibitions ( every visitor takes the role of a Jewish person that experienced the Holocaust)
• I assumed that the museum would not put torture instruments on display since the Holocaust is such a sensitive and painful memory
• I assumed that there would not be a section for young children, since it is hard to comprehend the concept of the holocaust
• I assumed that there would be mostly pictures and biographies of survivors, and not actual displays of like the beds they lived in the barracks that existed.
Textile Museum
• I assumed that since it was a textile museum, that there would only be blankets and quilts; I was surprised to see such things as dresses or jewelry
• I assumed that the textiles were only from America and that it would simply be different colors or patterns
• I assumed that nothing was to be touched, since art is usually very delicate so I was pleased to be able to feel the material and textures
Assumptions of Art and Feminism
I assumed that female artists are not featured in classical museums.
I assumed that art was all paintings and sculptures, and if by a woman, only paintings.
I assumed that women artists produce more modern and unusual art.
I assumed that most art by women features women.
I assumed art by men predominantly features women.
I assumed that art of women gains large amounts of fame and respect worldwide.
I assumed that all cultures painted as art.
I assumed that important women were more featured in art than important men.
I assumed feminism promoted a large amount of dislike towards men.
I assumed women participated in the performing arts more than men.
I assumed that most guides and curators were men.
I assumed that feminist art was angry.
I assumed a museum with the word “women” in its title is feminist.
I assumed all museums were free to attend.
Museums: Feminism, Art, and Feminisms Role in Art
Public display of art is many an artists’ big dream, although some only stumble across the fame with no more desire than spreading a message to a large few somewhere. The world is lucky to have many wonderful galleries scattered about for anyone from the rich art enthusiast to the everyday family to enjoy, and throughout them be opened up to the world of so many cultures, people, and places. Conveniently enough for those of us located near Washington, D.C., there are more than enough of these places and their diversity is so great that we are never stuck viewing the same exhibit like the repeat of a syndicated television show. Until recently, my own experiences with these places were solely for a few “oohs” and “aahs” and a day away from school. Now, having been drawn into the study of feminism, women’s art, and women’s influence in art, I am able to concentrate more of my thinking and analytical power into learning through the art, rather than about it. There is much that can be expressed through one’s art that it only seems right a major civil rights movement in the US would be influenced by it and have such involvement in it’s creation. By looking to the art in some particular museums in D.C., I was able to not only learn more about art and feminism, but realize the assumptions and generalizations I made about both.
The first of my visits was to The National Museum of the American Indian. The building itself is a work of art, with many influences taken from the Earth, as is with the Native American people. As you pass the teepee replicas outside the building, you notice the extravagant symbols on the entrance doors that can only be assumed to be influenced by the art of the Native Americans. Upon entering, you feel as if you’re in a large open area that everyone can move freely around and enjoy what the museum has to offer. Lucky for us all, the museum offers not only the traditional small galleries of art, but many displays, interactive stations, theatres, and performance areas. Featured art in the museum includes beadwork, clothing, pottery, and metal work. Interestingly enough, I saw no traditional oil on canvas painting, an art form I assumed all cultures created. The main focus of the museum is to educate the visitor on the history of the American Indian through everyday objects and customs they had. In that sense, the museum is not feminist. Feminism is about empowering women, and equal rights. Nothing in the museum goes to show that the women of the Native American tribes were seen as equals, or that they were an important part in the realization that women needed more rights and equality in all things. In fact, the exhibits show the Native American woman as more as a necessary part of the tribe as the “traditional” mother and wife, and so this clearly gives no power or tries to change how women are viewed in the culture. One exhibit, however, shows some signs of feminism by highlighting the exquisite needlework and ingenuity of the women in creating clothes for the men, women and children. Adding a sense of importance to the duty, the observer of this exhibit will view women as much more important at least, but it does not inspire that feminist principle. Surprising to me are the amount of contributions from women in the information throughout the museum, which may lead some to believe there is some feminist principle behind the museum, but the museum’s purpose is not to highlight feminism and so is not one.
My second destination was the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden. Now, as one may suspect with art, not everyone will see, enjoy, or interpret every type of art the same. And for me, modern and contemporary art just seems to be one of those kinds that doesn’t click and isn’t enjoyed. I gave it a short chance, however, out of the sheer principle of expanding my palette and seeing what is out there, and even how it may connect with feminism. As for this museum, it is more feminist than others. This is because there is much more inclusion of women’s art, especially art with social ties. Feminism is essentially rooted in a society, and the women’s desire in that society to rid the idea of women being not equal to others and the norm of forcing them into a limited number or roles, many of which do not put them in a position of power or admiration. To fit in with its modern and contemporary style, the artwork on display is very abstract, paralleling it with the change from the norm that feminists seek. While the artists may not be feminists themselves, a modern museum is not one to turn down the idea, rather inspire others to do something new or different. The simple fact that a large sculpture made by a woman is on display can inspire more women to learn the skill and contribute to one of the most classical forms of art. The museum inspires great art by women and so is feminist.
Third on the list was the National Gallery of Art. A site I had visited when much younger and less educated, I made it a point to not enjoy because of familiarity but because of actual stimulation of thought provoked by the art. That being said, I searched high and low, left and right, backwards and even inside-out, and this museum is in no way feminist. Even the most basic requirement that begins to qualify anything as feminist, that it includes the work of a woman, is not fulfilled. All sculptures, paintings, and even modern art, that which I could handle after the Hirshhorn, were done by men. And although not all feminist art has to be done by women, no piece invites the viewer to suddenly realize men and women should be viewed as equals in all aspects of life. The art work does feature a lot of women, highlighting the soft facial features, or through sculpture highlighting the beauty of the female figure. In addition to many positive portrayals of women, many seemed to be of nobility and high social status. However this fosters the complete opposite of feminism. This art work references back to a socio-economic view that only women were in nobility because there husbands were, or that women were in art because they paid for it. Comparisons can even be made between throughout time due to the organization of the museum, splitting many of its galleries up by country of origin and time period. The large number of women shown in the pieces gives insight into the past view of women, and it is not a negative one just because it does not promote the fundamental principles of feminism. It does though help to prove that the National Gallery of Art is not feminist.
As stated in my assumptions, I assumed that any museum with the word “women” in its title is feminist. This led me to leave the “feminist” museum for last and compare it to the other three I had been to, rather than visiting it first, and comparing to a benchmark set too high. After my visit, the museum is definitely feminist. The art is by women, about women, for women’s equality, and anything and everything a feminist could ask for. There are pieces showing the power women could and should have, while others show the struggles women go through that men could never understand. The art here struck me more as having meaning, even the modern and contemporary pieces, than at the other museums because the women were painting and constructing to show they were equal to their male counterparts. That is what really makes the museum feminist. I did find myself, however, finding the museum a bit exclusive, as it was the only to charge a fee, and it did not include any art by men. The first point I make, about the fee, rattled this belief I have that art is free for all to enjoy. There are venues for many types of art that charge, but I believe they should not. Music should not be held in a hierarchy over paintings or sculpture, just as I believe art by women should not be any more expensive to view than that by a fifth grade art class. Paying for this experience was the least of my worries, but it does lead one to question the purpose and core values of the institution. My second point relates to a feminist principle that is so simple it might be overlooked in art’s most basic application. Feminism would like for art by women to be regarded just as exquisite a display of technique and mastery of form as men’s art. If this is the case, simply display it together. A separation of the women’s art from the men’s art only makes it harder for us to view them as being equal if they cannot even be in the same location. An idea, odd as it may sound, would be to take pieces by women and men, put them in a room, and only label them with title. Let the people believe whatever they want about it without the artists’ sex involved. Let the people interpret each piece without thinking a woman had to be the one to paint women suffering through abortions, but rather that a man could have done that as well, or that a woman could have painted multiple women in a room admiring an Adonis-like figure. The National Museum of Women and the Arts is definitely a feminist museum for all it includes, but I believe because it is recognized by so many as a great one, it could use it’s position to foster a change in thinking by all about museums, art, and feminism.
Although some of my assumptions about art, feminism, and museums held true, I was also proved wrong. In my background, my assumptions relate to a hypothesis that can be tested, and by visiting these museums, I was able to test them through interpreting art. Though it does not promote the most concrete results, new light has been shed on those which I missed the mark with, and helped me to enjoy and appreciate feminism, art, and any combination of the two.
Assignment #1: Assumptions about Feminism & Art
Feminism, according to Wikipedia, “comprises a number of social, cultural, and political movements, theories, and moral philosophies concerned with gender inequalities and equal rights for women.” I was never fully aware that many people have their own definitions of what exactly feminism encompasses as well as the aspect of feminism being brought out so much in everyday life. Whether in a women studies class, a text on America’s suffrage movement, the recent campaigning, magazines or newspapers feminism is always a relevant topic. One place I was ignorant of thinking there would be anything related to feminism was in artists’ pieces. Visiting four different museums, some of which were feminist while others were not, helped me to realize that there is, in fact, feminist art. It also assisted me into realizing that many assumptions I had were unsophisticated and conventional. In general, this helped me realize that there is feminist art out there and the assumptions that I had were generic and prevalent.
The National Museum of Women and the Arts was the first museum that I decided to visit. Upon entering this museum I had the typical assumptions. I assumed that all employees in the museum would be women, except for a male security guard. I improvised that everything inside the museum would be very feminine, with pink and/or floral wallpaper, and shiny, pink marble flooring. My assumptions based on the art that I would find in this museum were just as ignorant. I figured that they would be the traditional pieces from when art first became big, like for example, the pieces of just a woman dead center in the middle of a canvas painted to perfection. Once I entered the museum I was shocked to find that most of my assumptions were actually erroneous.
Taking my first steps into the museum itself, I noticed that there was a painting of Willimena Holiday, whom was the founder of the museum, in her pale pink dress. After entering on that note, I assumed the whole rest of the museum would be similar. However, I was wrong. The museum as a whole was feminist, but not overwhelmingly feminist like I had imagined. It was decorated simple, yet classy. The walls were filled with gentle floral wallpaper, the floor marble in a light pink tone, and chandeliers. My assumption with the permanent collection being simple with the typical portraits of women was relatively correct.
The part I was most surprised shaken up by was actually the exhibit of Paula Rego’s work. Her work did not exactly fit with my version of what I pictured feminist art to be, of which I imagined to be extremely feminine, colorful, and not that strong of a composition. All of her works came off to me as being dark and hostile. Many of her paintings in which woman were incorporated into all seemed to have masculine characteristics like a moustache and strong facial features. Rego’s one painting of a woman with a moustache definitely striked me as interesting. This particular work allowed me to almost interpret her view and definition of feminism. In my eyes, her painting all women with masculine features shows how she is trying to point out that women can be like men. In a sense, we cannot only choose to look like men physically, but we can politically, socially, and economically be equal with them. In my opinion, I think she is trying to say that women can take on men’s roles and opportunities in society as well as the fact that women can do anything just as well as men do.
Next on the museum outing was a stop at Hirshhorn. This was not my first visit to this museum, so I knew what to expect. However, this is one of my favorite museums in D.C. Before I entered I assumed there would be no paintings or works that would relate directly to or even touch on the aspect of feminism. I just had this assumption based on being there before and not recalling any pieces of relevance and also simply because of the name. I figured that there would still me just interesting works that were modern and interesting to look at.
Although I have been to the Hirshhorn prior it still has changed. It is a very simple and neutral museum with no colors suggesting certain sexes. I was wrong in my assumption of thinking that there would not be any pieces that would relate to feminism in some way or another. One work that really stood out to me was Tom Wesselmann’s “Bedroom Painting No. 38.” I interpreted this painting with a feminist eye. In general, my interpretation of what seems to look like a sex scene shows the change in feminism and the way women have been perceived over time. In the photograph is a young woman who looks innocent and I imagined that it could possibly be a photograph of the girl’s mother when she was her age. Next to the mothers photograph, of which seems is there to watch over her daughters actions, are pink flowers to enforce the aspect of innocence and youth, while surrounding the daughters head is what seems to be like a black pillow or cloud to show fear, uncertainty, shame and disappointment. The blackness and the girl’s facial expression go to show how women’s roles and social standing over time have changed as well as society’s views upon women. I decoded many interpretations of feminism from this painting, but this one seemed most reasonable.
The next museum I visited was the National Museum of the American Indian. I assumed this would not be a feminist museum and I assumed correctly. It was designed to look like and resemble the way the Native Americans actually inhabited. In general, it was a museum about all the different Native American tribes that existed and still do exist throughout our history. Although there was no specific area that had feminist art, there was a certain portion of the museum dedicated to women, specifically detailing tradition, change, and celebration in native women’s dresses. This exhibition was certainly feminist showing how the Native Americans dressed, which earned them the respect they always received, and how they did it in order to show solidarity with their people. This type of art, although not like the other types in the other museums, adds to how Native Americans saw feminism.
Lastly, I stopped at the National Gallery of Art. I assumed this would not be a feminist museum, but rather a plethora of different styles and I was correct. This museum is the prettiest of them all. It is extremely classy with long hallways, fountains, and beautiful works at wherever eyes set. Certain sections of the museum have statues while others have paintings. Works I observed help to prove that the concept of feminism has changed over time. Looking back at artists’ works from our history women and girls looked drastically different. All had simple and soft features, their hair pulled back properly, correct posture, puffy dresses, and such serious facial expressions. Back then, women were more proper and well-mannered than how they are today, but at the same time aspects of everyday life were extremely different and they had no other choice. Overall, this museum showed how women as well as art became more and more in depth.
In summary, this museum excursion taught me a lot about feminism that I was unaware of. Having the opportunity to go and see different artists works at different venues helped me to see that almost everywhere you can see at least some aspect of feminism is connected. It taught me a lot about how feminism is actually more prominent in art than I aware of. One thing I learned is that not only women bring the aspect of feminism into the art world. Tom Wesselmann’s work put a strong flow of possible inferences about feminism into my mind. Another thing I learned by visiting each of the four museums and seeing different works, is that everyone has a different view of what the exact definition of feminism is. I really enjoyed visiting all the different museums and seeing a variety of arts relating to feminism.
Assumptions:
National Museum of Women and the Arts
1. I assumed that all employees in the museum would be women, except for a male security guard.
2. I assumed that everything inside the museum would be very feminine, with pink and/or floral wallpaper, and shiny, pink marble flooring.
3. I assumed that most of the artwork would be the traditional woman dead center in the middle of a canvas.
4. I assumed that the museum would be full to capacity with art all over the place.
5. I assumed this would be an extremely feminist museum.
Hirshhorn
1. I assumed that there would be no paintings or works that would relate directly to or even touch on the aspect of feminism.
2. I assumed that there would be modern works that would be interesting and sophisticated.
3. I assumed that this would not a feminist museum.
National Museum of the American Indian
1. I assumed that this museum would not be a feminist museum.
2. I assumed it would be a dull museum.
3. I assumed it would look like any other museum with just simple decorations.
National Gallery of Art
1. I assumed it would be really pretty and well designed with magnificent architecture.
2. I assumed this would not be a feminist museum.
3. I assumed it would take me on a walk through history.
4. I assumed it would have a plethora of art from all different centuries and time periods.
5. I assumed that this museum in particular would be the best to understand how feminism has changed throughout the years.
Feminism is defined as the doctrine advocating social, political, and all other rights of women equal to those of men by the dictionary. I define feminism as that but also as women who feel very strong about their rights as being equal to men. Women who say, “I can do anything a man can do.” That is how the media covers it, so that is the perception I have of it. If a place is full of only women things, for example, books or art, I would consider it feminist. There are women who show their feminism through art. Art to me is a freedom of expression on paper or as a sculpture. Many beautiful things come out of it. For example, paintings, sculptures, and other things that may fall into that category. Women artists are excellent at what they do, especially if they are feminist. They can show a different perspective of art. Many museums show women and the artwork they create. The four museums I visited were The National Museum of Women and the Arts, The National Museum of the American Indian, National Museum of African Art and the U.S. Holocaust National Museum. In each of these museums, assumptions came out that I did not even think I had. Out of the four places visited, I only consider one to be all feminist.
The first museum, the National Museum of the Women and the Arts, is feminist. In the name itself shows that it is. I had many assumptions come about that were correct. When I first walked into the place, I saw a very nice and beautiful decoration around the walls‘ borders. It was very decorative and fancy. From the ceiling, there were very nice chandeliers. That was my first assumption that a place dedicated to women would have something very nice and decorative. As I started to acknowledge the paintings, I noticed that they were all painted by women and inside some of the paintings there were women. As I walked around the whole place, it had things that women would use like silverware. I assumed that would be the case, on the account that that is what the museum would be about. I also assumed that abstract art would not be included in the exhibits but I was wrong. I found myself asking how is abstract art art? This made me realize that paintings do not only have to be paintings of people in order to be considered art. I found out about the upcoming events in the museum by reading their flyers and magazine. The programs coming up are all directed by women explaining art. This museum is feminist because all the things I encountered there were all about or by women.
The second museum, the American Indian Museum, was very interesting and educational. I do not consider the American Indian museum to be feminist but I do think one of the exhibitions there is. This museum is very informative. It gives a background of almost every item shown there and it has good information. The exhibits did not seem feminist to me except one, the Identity by Design. This exhibit had a showcase of American Indian’s women dresses, all which were very pretty. All these dresses are handcrafted by women. These women are talented and artistic to come up with nice design like those. I assumed that their dresses were only made out of leather and feathers but it also has very pretty beads. The one that really stuck out to me was the elk dress. The elk dress has elk teeth on it symbolizing all the elk teeth the woman’s husband collected. I read that men start collecting elk teeth on order to give them to their future wives. I assumed that there would not be any special symbol when a man was to get married but I was wrong. Many other assumptions came about as I looked at each dress. For example, on one of the background information of a dress, it gave information about American Indian women starting their own societies. I did not think that they would be able to start their own societies because of men being strict. One that was stated was the Blackfeet War Bonnet Society, which was to let women dance. This museum is not all feminist on the account that not all the exhibitions have items only about women. Others included the “Our Universes“, which talked about each tribe, another was “Our People,” which showed the daily and past lives of American Indians.
For the next two museums I went to, the Holocaust and African Art museums, feminism is not meaningful there. The Holocaust museum has information and exhibits on the events and people of the holocaust. The exhibit “Daniel’s Story” shows the exact process the Jews went through to get in the end to the concentration camps. It was a sad story. But it did depict well the process. The other exhibitions gave information on the Nazi rule and Hitler’s rise to power. The museum gave a sculpted version of a concentration camp and how people were murdered there. It was a very interesting and informative museum not at all feminist. The last museum was the African Art museum. Many of the assumptions that I had about African Art came out to be true. Their artwork is made out of wood and stone. They have patterns around them and usually have animals that symbolize something. As I looked at them, I wondered what each animal meant and thought also that it must have taken a while to create it so detailed and very nice. The African Art museum has no hint of feminism in it. It just shows the nice artwork of Africans.
Each museum had its own artistic flare about it and not all were feminist. The Women and Arts museum was definitely feminist and artistic showing many beautiful paintings, the American Indian museum was not all feminist except one exhibition showcasing American Indian women’s dresses. The Holocaust museum was interesting and informative and a bit sad. It was not at all feminist and the African Art museum just showed very interesting African art. Some of my assumptions at each museum were correct. Others were not. But at each museum, I figured out how art is unique in different ways. It is not all just painting of landscapes or people. It can show a whole different culture if you pay close attention to it.
Women and Arts
I assumed…
It would be all about women
It would have fancy things
Paintings mostly of women
All the painters would be women
Good artwork was only of people and landscapes
American Indian
I assumed…
Dresses were made of leather
Women could not create their own societies
They go against war in a spiritual way
Marriage did not have a special symbol
Women make the clothes
Holocaust
I assumed…
It would show something about Anne Frank
Have pictures of concentration camps
Show explicit pictures of people in the Holocaust
Give more information about the war
African Art
I assumed….
Their art was made of wood and stone
Has a lot of patterns
Has animals symbolizing something
The way I see feminism is, it’s a movement for the recognition of inequalities between men and women, and the goal is to close the gap. Feminism is something that I do not usually think about, but I would like to start thinking more about it. Over the last two weeks I have visited the National Museum of Women in the Arts, The Nation Museum of the American Indian, The Hirshorn Museum, and the Holocaust Museum. These museums opened my eyes to art, along with feminism. They made me think about these two subjects differently than I ever have before.
The National Museum of Women in the Arts is where I saw a lot of feminism. The museum is dedicated to recognizing women artists, and making people notice more of their work. Before going to this museum, I assumed that museums usually showed pretty much an even amount of art from women artist and men, but here is where I learned that only five percent of paintings in museums are from women. This is one of the reasons this fine museum was established.
While visiting the museum, I noticed that most of the women in the pictures were not presented the way we usually see women portrayed. I assumed that since this museum was supposed to be glorifying women, we would see the good attributes of women brought out, not the bad ones. Women in the paintings, were usually plain, had a bigger frame, and often looked not very attractive. After thinking about this concept for a while I thought that maybe the only reason I was expecting paintings that looked better, was because I had been used to seeing paintings done by men, who want to only paint fantasy women, and not real women.
One of my favorite pieces of artwork at the museum was a paintings done by a women living in Portugal during a time when they were thinking about legalizing abortions. When it was voting time, this subject didn’t really get talked about too much and failed to get passed. The artist wanted to raise awareness of the scared feelings pregnant women go through, and the dangers that may go along with illegal abortion procedures. The paintings showed a teenage girl in a school outfit going through the steps of an at home aborting process. The pictures really moved me, so I know that they had to have been effective in raising awareness in her home country. One other piece that caught my attention was a portrait that I saw on the very top floor. This piece was one of the last pieces of art I saw. It was a picture of a line of cheerleaders doing kicks with a full view of their crotches. I don’t know if it is because it was the last picture I saw, or because I am a cheerleader, but this stuck out to me. Why would a feminist museum have a picture of cheerleaders, and especially one with their crotches out in a full frontal view? I thought feminists would have been against something like this, or maybe this picture was supposed to be making fun of cheerleaders. But then I thought that maybe the artist was telling women it is ok to show off our bodies if we want to.
Even though there were many things I did not understand about this museum, I would definitely have to say that it is feminist. Not only does the museum give awareness of inequality in gender, within art, but it also raises awareness of inequality in gender through art. For example the exhibit on abortion shows people that it should the women’s choice whether or not she should have a baby, not someone else. Another exhibit that caught my eye was one on silversmiths. Most people just assume that women were not capable of creating beautiful silver peices, and even if they were, they did not get credit, their husband or father would, intil this brought up the idea. Also through out the museums there were readings to better inform the viewer of what they are seeing, and give some background information on it. Many readings brought up information that gave glory to these women artist, such as the reading that credited women with playing an important role in the development of the first modern art “isms”. Information like this is a form of feminism to me, because it really makes people think about how important women have been in the development of our modern societies.
The second museum I went to was, The National Museum of the American Indian. This building was very big and beautiful. On the bottom floor there was a place where shows could be held. While I was there, there was a traditional Native American war dance performed by children. I assumed that this would b uninteresting to me because I could not relate, but this was the most fun and exciting part of the whole experience for me. I did not see this until the very end of my time spent at the museum, and it is here where I truly got a taste for Native American life, and values. The music and the dancing were beautiful. Other exhibits included the universe exhibit which was about the life span of an American Indian, exhibits on the importance of materials to these people, exhibits on where certain groups are from, and exhibits on American Indians today.
Many of the artworks done by women included clothing. Their dresses were a big part of their lives. The dresses were more than materialistic beauty; they symbolized such things as family status, tribal identities, ect. These dressed could even tell stories. These pieces of art, were very important to the American Indians, and were valued a lot, so this art by women has a big place in this museum. I don’t really see this exhibit as being very feminist, because it is about dresses, and I feel that dresses are usually not a feminist thing. But when looking at the other side, it does point out the importance these women had in making these dresses, and the interest they had. The museum as a whole could go both ways in the argument of whether or not it was feminist, because it did celebrate women a little bit, but it was very subtle and kind of hard to catch on to what they were doing.
The last two museums I visited were the Hirshorn Museum, and the Holocaust museum. Both museums were interesting, and showed me things I have never seen before. In the Hirshorn I saw a lot of new modern art. Some looked really unique and impressive, while other pieces looked as if an elementary school kid did them. I thought this museum was feminist, because it had several pieces showing women expressing their individuality, and artistic side. One of the pieces was a pictures of a women posing naked in her studio. The artist name is Schneeman, and she is one of the first pioneers of the feminist practice. In this portrait, she shows herself exploring her sexuality. She is trying to tell the public it is ok for women to do this, not just men. I can not say this is one of my favorite pieces of art from this museum, but it certainly supports the idea of feminism.
At the holocaust museum, a lot of things hit me hard. I had never really thought about the holocaust on a level like I did this day. The exhibits were really dark and depressing, just like the holocaust itself. I did not consider much of the stuff in this museum high art, but more informational articles. I would not consider this museum feminist at all, because it did not give special attention to women in the holocaust at all. At this time everyone was being treated unfairly, not just women. Everyone from Gypsy women, to Jewish men, to mentally retarded children were experiencing inequality at this time, so why would this museum just concentrate on women.
I am really grateful to have had been assigned this project, because it actually made me get out and visit these museums, which was a great thing to do. It opened my eyes to new ideas, and made me experience new things. While paying close attention to feminism when visiting these museums, I realized concepts that I never thought I would. Feminism and art are both new to me, so I am looking forward to learning more about them as the semester goes on.
Assumptions
• I assumed that the National Museum of Women in the Arts would have work done by men and women that celebrated women. I was surprised to find out that the museum was only full of work created by women, because the founders of the museum were upset to find out that only five percent of artwork in museums was done by women.
• I assumed that since this museum was celebrating women, the pieces of art found there would be showing off good attributes of women, not bad. I was surprised when I actually realized that I probably had that idea because most artwork I had seen has been created by men, and had been of fantasy women not real women.
• I assumed that this museum would be very controversial.
• I assumed that The National Museum of Women in the Arts would avoid pictures that had to do with activities such as cheerleading that most feminist disagree with, but I was surprised to see one.
• I assumed that the National Museum of the American Indian would have never been celebrating or exhibiting art work that gave praise to women, like the dresses did. I thought that the museum would just try to bring awareness of the inequalities through out history dealing with just Native Americans in general and not try to bring in the idea of feminism.
• I assumed that this museum would have just artifacts and no personal “high art”.
• I assumed this museum would be rather small and not very pretty.
• I assumed that their would be traditional Native American artifacts displayed here such as beads, pottery, ect.
• I assumed that the Hirshorn Museum would have no art work dealing with women feminist, because the modern art exhibiting here, would already be too controversial, and they would not want to go any farther out of the box.
• I assumed I would not find this art work very entertaining, or interesting.
• I assumed the art at Hirshorn would be weird to me.
• I assumed that the Holocaust museum would be strictly informational, and not touching. I was surprised to see so many people that were non-Jewish, and had nothing to do with the holocaust touched and moved.
My Assumptions
National Museum of Women in the Arts
-I assumed the museum would avoid pink and other kinds of feminine décor.
-I assumed there would only be paintings of women.
-I assumed there would only be paintings by women.
-I assumed the paintings would only portray strong women, and not focus on their beauty.
National Museum of the American Indian
-I assumed the museum would be filled with color.
-I assumed that paintings would be on display.
-I assumed the Native Americans displayed would be proud of their culture.
-I assumed it would not be very focused on women.
National Museum of African Art
-I assumed the structure would be above ground.
-I assumed the art would be more traditional pottery and weaponry rather than paintings.
-I assumed women played a more important role in African tribes.
National Gallery of Art
-I assumed the museum would be elegant in a condescending tone.
-I assumed it would contain what is traditionally considered as art, which is paintings, sculptures, etc.
Museums and Feminism
Many interesting museums find their home in the Washington, D.C. metro area, a fact most convenient for those who grew up in the area. That being said, I was given the opportunity to grow up in an atmosphere where our nation’s history is always on display for all to learn and examine. These museums have many valuable and interesting pieces put on display for the scrutiny and admiration of those who have taken the time to come down and visit. However, in all my years of living here, I have never been asked if the museums I’d visited so many times were feminist. So I grabbed a long time friend of mine, and we set out to visit the museums we had explored dozens of times since we were children. Only this time, we set out to analyze the museums on whether or not they were feminist and how we would define feminism. For me, feminism is theories of the struggle for liberation of women, be it political, moral, or social. I felt that only two of the museums I visited exhibited what I consider to be feminist and in my paper I will discuss why.
The first museum we visited on our excursion to the museums was the National Museums of Women in the Arts. I assumed that simply because it is a women’s museum, that this place would automatically be feminist. Naturally, I also figured that since it was a women’s museum, the paintings would only be of women and by women. I was correct because at the women’s art museum, the paintings of women are portrayed and understood in only the best way women can be portrayed, by other women. Meaning that women are creatures of intelligent thinking, emotion, and beauty. The best way to capture another woman’s beauty in a painting, is to be a women yourself, because you understand the way women work. The museum had an elegant and sophisticated feel to it, when I walked in, I felt a little intimidated by the décor. But the kind lady at the front desk greeted me with a warm smile and offered my friend and I the free passes to tour the museum.
The pieces in the museum that intrigued me in the most morbid way were those of Paula Rego. She did not portray women in the typical smiling, elegant way I expected. Instead, she chose to show stocky women, who did not look very amused or happy, in the most bizarre and fascinating way. In her paintings, women are portrayed while hunched over, in states of despair, and in some paintings, receiving an abortion. It felt as if she was making political and social commentary with her paintings. I feel that because she kept away from portraying women as graceful swans, and instead showed women who may have been slightly on the unkempt and wild side, that she was being feminist. Feminist in the sense that women come in all shapes and sizes, and we are not all tall and lanky, but also small and stocky, a type of woman that is not very well portrayed in the world. I left the museum feeling intrigued and we embarked on the way to the next museum.
After we visited the Women’s Art museum, we went to go visit the National Museum of the American Indian. Upon reaching the museum, I was fascinated by the structure and size of the museum, and also by the little pond they had constructed out front. I spent a few minutes outside with my friend feeding the ducks (bad idea) and admiring the unusual shape of the museum. Upon entrance, a large room with many interesting colors greeted us. I did not think that this museum would be very feminist, seeing as how in my understanding of the Native American culture, women are not as prevalent as men in the ceremonies they perform. I was most fascinated by the “Identity by Design” exhibition, which displayed the various dresses worn by Native Americans in ceremonies and in life. Women were the ones who crafted these magnificent dresses, with their detail and color. Many would say that women were simply the sewers and cooks for the tribes, but it goes deeper than that. Women were the ones who designed and made these symbols of cultural identity. The development of these skills was not only for their benefit, but also for the benefit of the entire tribe. They were innovators in the sense that they discovered new ways to express their unique talents and culture. Without these women to be the backbone of the tribes, the men of the tribes would be performing uninspired ceremonies in simple dresses, with little expression of culture in the design. Although it may sound like the women in the tribes are simply there to cook, clean, and sew, they are the crafters of art and leaders to their children and peers. I found that this museum was feminist, in a different sense of the word. The women in this culture were highly valued and important characters in the production of the tribe. We visited a few other pieces and the made our way to the next museum.
On a different day, another friend and I visited the National Museum of African Art. I had expected the museum to be above ground, like every other museum, but I was very pleasantly surprised that the museum was below ground. I expected the museum to be much more full of color and life, but I did not find it to be so. Upon entrance, the vibe I got from the museum was one of elegance and grace. There was nothing very cultural about it. Then we reached the first floor, where the sculptures, pottery, and ceramics were on display, behind glass cases. This made it feel less lively and colorful. The intricacy and design of the artwork was fascinating and beautiful. Not only are they pieces of art, but also important tools to the tribes. I did not get a very feminine feel from much of the artwork. However, there were pieces of display specifically for women, such as the Sowei Helmet Mask for the Mende people, made specifically for women as a representation of feminine beauty. Many of the pieces I encountered were made specifically for that purpose, to display what the particular tribe thought of as feminine beauty. It felt as though women were not very important to the tribe and only thought of as objects of beauty and household tasks. I was confused with this because what I have learned about African tribes is that women are an integral part of the tribe, putting in as much time and effort into their tasks as men do. I suppose it was the museum and the way it chose to portray Africans with their art that threw me off. Either way, the artwork was very beautiful, but did not have a very feminist feel to it. After we finished exploring the museum, we made our way to the final museum.
After the African Art museum, my friend and I went to the National Gallery of Art, a museum that I have visited many times before, but never asked myself if it was feminist. We visited the many paintings we were familiar with and asked ourselves if these paintings were feminist. I found that they were not very feminist because of the way women tended to be portrayed as fragile and regal and the fact that most of the artists in this museum were male, with a few women scattered here and there. The one thing that always bothered me about this museum was the way it was elegant in the most condescending tone, as if you had to be a great scholar or historian to really admire and appreciate the art. I was fascinated by the way women’s bodies were portrayed, thin in the middle while curvy on the top and bottom. Nothing really deviated from that norm in this museum. However, I did admire the beauty in the detail of the paintings. The art was beautiful and I admired it greatly, but it was just not up to my standards of feminism.
Through my trips to these museums, I found the variations of what could be considered feminist art. Although many of my assumptions about these museums were correct, some of my other assumptions were proven wrong. I was shown what was considered beautiful and feminine by others cultural standards, does not necessarily keep it from being feminist. It all depends on the way you define the word and how you think.
Erin Smith
WMST250
February 14, 2007
The concept of feminism causes many people to make certain assumptions. However, many of these assumptions are not based in fact, rather they are due to societal influences and the individual’s background and experiences. These certain assumptions are hard to ignore, however wrong they may seem. People express their opinions on various issues through many outlets, one being art. There are numerous forms of art today but they all have a message to convey. As I have found out, some artists express their views of feminism through their art pieces. Visiting various art museums has helped me come to this conclusion. Even if the museum itself wasn’t feminist the theme still occurred in some of the artwork.
Before entering the National Museum of Women in the Arts I assumed that the structure and interior of the building would be grandeur and very decorative. I also thought there would be a lot of art of women all throughout the museum. The museum was much more barren then many museums I have been to previously. The granite columns and staircases were beautiful but there was a seeming lack of art. We almost had to search for the exhibits. The artist that was being shown for this month was Paula Rego. Her art was not what I would have called ‘feminist’ art. It was rather disturbing but definitely had a clear message. Many of her works included women in a powerful position of defeating men in some way. Some of the figures in the art were androgynous looking. Some had feminine faces and masculine bodies and vice versa. I think this is to emphasize the fact that women are equal to men and that men and women possess similar characteristics and are able to accomplish the same tasks. The other exhibits in the museum displayed rather traditional looking art. Most of the oil paintings were of women or children. This museum paid tribute to many female artists and art that shows a great appreciation for women. This museum is feminist because of the appreciation it depicts. All the employees working there were women, the interior decoration was also feminine and it contained art that would appeal to women. It seemed the goal of this museum was to display women artists’ works and increase the appreciation of women in the arts. The next two artists that are to be featured are also women, Louise Nvelson: Dawn’s Wedding Feast and Cherel Ito. I was able to find this information in the information booklet, which was available at the information desk. This museum is a great place for people to go in order to appreciate women’s art and women in the arts.
The Hirshhorn Museum displayed many abstract works of art. I didn’t have many assumptions coming into the museum but as I approached the circular shaped building I began to think that it would contain many different types of artwork, some of which I might question whether or not the pieces are actually art at all. There were some paintings then there were also sculptures and abstract pieces, which are hard to put into a category. The first two paintings that I encountered were of women. The first was called Bedroom Painting No. 38 and Tom Wesselmann was the artist. It seemed to depict the common stereotypes of women. The woman in the picture was wearing heavy blue eye shadow, red lipstick and was unnaturally blonde. Her eyes were closed and her head was back. The picture had a sensual feel to it but it also had a big flower in the background, which normally means purity or virginity. The artist was a male so it would be safe to assume that this is his view of women. He might hold the typically position that women are delicate (the flower) and used as sex objects. The next painting that I saw portrayed a completely different view of women. The painting was called “The Light that Won’t Fail I,” by James Rosenquist. It had half a woman’s face that was surrounded by smoke and the central colors of the picture were green, grey and black. It also contained a lit cigarette and a comb. It seemed to convey the view of women as either powerful or loss of control of their life. It could have been depicting a prostitute or a woman who is totally out of control of her life and depressed. Most of the other exhibits in the museum seemed to be neutral towards feminism. However there was one exhibit by a woman who took nude pictures of herself in nature and other backgrounds in order to express her oneness with nature and the world. Overall I think this museum had aspects of feminism but I wouldn’t go as far as saying that the entire museum expressed the theme. Hirshhorn definitely exceeded my expectations and was my favorite of the four museums we visited.
Entering the National Museum of the American Indian I didn’t expect to find much feminist artwork. I assumed that it wouldn’t be very lively and honestly, boring. My assumptions were completely wrong. Upon entering we were surrounded by loud music and a live dance show. The inside of the museum looked new and there was an extremely high ceiling which created a huge open space. I was honestly impressed with the layout of the entire building. The exhibit that presented all the tribes and how they are incorporating their Native American background into modern society. This purpose of this exhibit and various others that I visited was to inform the masses how the Native American culture is not dead and how they are continuing their traditions into modern day. The most feminist exhibit that I encountered was ‘Identity by Design.’ Here the many beaded dresses that were made by Native American women were displayed. Women in Native American cultures are appreciated because they give birth to and care for the children. Native American culture in general is a very respectful society. The elaborate beading on the dresses was a way for the women to express their creativity and set themselves apart from others in the tribe. Over the years the beading and accessories became increasingly more elaborate. This corresponds to modern women’s clothes as well because as women began to receive more privileges and respect they began to change the way their dressed. Feminism has a lot to do with what women are wearing also. For instance, women used to not be able to wear pants but eventually they broke that social norm and wearing pants became socially acceptable. Women art was expressed mostly through their dress in Native American cultures. This museum could be considered feminist because they displayed a great respect for women and their art, they even dedicated a whole exhibit to it.
Entering the National Gallery of Art I assumed to see many different forms of art, and I was correct. This museum had possibly every type of art I could think of. Because of the varying types and forms of art it was harder to determine whether the museum could be considered ‘feminist’ or not. I think that in some ways it could because it did display art by women and art of women. It seemed to appreciate women in the arts by presenting them in the same fashion as male artists. It even organized a tribute to artist Elizabeth Murray after her passing. This museum seemed to present women’s art and not neglect it as some museums might have done.
In conclusion, when walking into an art museum one can make many assumptions about not only the appearance of the outside and inside but also what art they present and the exhibits that they display. Each museum can be considered either feminist or not, it is not always obvious as to which side it is on but with closer examination and inspection one can make an educated guess. I have learned that it is obviously natural to have certain assumptions about certain things, but the problem arises when you refuse to be able to denounce these assumptions if they are proven false.
Assumptions:
National Museum of Women in the Arts:
I assumed that all the employees would be women and the décor of the entire museum would be feminine. I also assumed there would be an influx of art and a lot of flowers and fountains. I also assumed that there would be many women coming to view the art. I also expected there to be many female artists that I recognized. I assumed that this museum would be very feminist and filled with feminist art.
Hirshhorn Museum:
After seeing the outside of this museum I expected that there would be many abstract art pieces, many of which I would not understand and may not even consider art. I was also expecting not many people to be in the museum. I also assumed that I would not like most of the art pieces that were on display. I was expecting to see feminist art displayed in this museum either.
National Museum of the American Indian:
I assumed that this museum would be old and not pretty inside. I also didn’t it to be very interactive and almost empty. I assumed that it would be rather small and not busy. I did not expect this museum to be feminist.
National Gallery of Art:
I assumed that this museum would have every kind of art imaginable. I expected it to be huge, considering that there were two wings. I also assumed it would be very busy and that the interior would be new and spacious. I did not expect this museum to be feminist.
Erika Sundberg
WMST250
2/14/08
Assumptions about Feminism and Art
Assignment #1
On February 9th, 2008 I traveled to downtown D.C and visited the National Museum of Women and the Arts, National Museum of the American Indian, U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, and the National Museum of African Art. Although all four of these museums connected feminism and art in some way, each portrayed a very different message through their exhibits. While some of these museums could be considered feminist, others on the other hand could be considered non feminist. As I visited each museum, I got a better understanding of the views and treatment of women throughout each culture.
The first museum I went to was the National Museum of Women and the Arts. Simply upon hearing the title of the museum I believed it would be a feminist museum, and after walking around and studying its art I believe my assumption was correct. Before I entered the building, I assumed that all the pieces of art would be paintings or portraits of very proper and well respected women from history by female artists. Although there were such paintings around the museum, I was surprised to see that the majority of art was not dedicated to this genre. Instead, there was a great deal of modern and recent figures portrayed in paintings as well as photographs which depicted the physical as well as emotional strength and power of female figures in todays world. For example, a picture taken by Annie Leibovitz in 1996 of the famous gymnast Dominique Moceanu depicted her large muscles and physical strength as a young girl, but more importantly showed her perseverance and determination to succeed through her piercing eyes and body language. Therefore, the National Museum of Women and the Arts is a feminist place because its art is showing the physical as well as emotional strength that women possess, and that is one of the main goals and theories that feminists are trying to get across to the public, especially the male gender. In addition, with regard to “art” I assumed that the art in this museum was only going to be portraits and paintings of women by women, and was startled to see that there were several different silver objects made my a woman silversmith. This different media was a surprise, because although I know that art is not limited to paintings and portraits, I had never truly though of a silversmiths as artists. Once again, this shows that the National Museum of Women and the Arts is a feminist place because it shows that women are not only skilled at making portraits and paintings, but other types of art medium as well, and feminism is about proving that women are good at a variety of things just like men.
The second museum that I went to was the National Museum of American Indian. Upon walking into this museum I believed that it was not a feminist museum, but after looking around and doing some research I discovered that my opinion had changed. Upon first walking around I assumed that art had to be a photograph, sculpture, panting, or portrait, but I soon realized that the traditional dresses that the Native American women create are pieces of art. As interesting as it is to think of an item of clothing such as a dress as a work of art, these dresses are most certainly considered works of art, for an incredible amount of time, precision, and care must go into making each dress. This museum is therefor feminist since the dresses that the Native American women make are so highly honored and regarded through out their specific tribes, and feminism is about honoring and respecting the things that women do and create. Therefore it does meet this definition of feminism since men honor the dresses the women make, and in return honor the women who make them. In addition, I assumed that women were looked down upon in American Indian culture before walking around and reading the information on the walls. After gathering several facts about their culture I discovered that the museum is feminist since elder women are very highly respected since they are thought of as keepers of a vast amount of knowledge, and feminism is about women being regarded and treated as equals.
The third museum that I visited was the Holocaust Memorial Museum. Before entering the museum I had the notion that it was going to be a non feminist museum, and after walking around I realized that I was correct. In regard to art, I assumed that there would be pictures of some of the famous gas chambers that were used to kill millions of jews during the Holocaust, and that this form of art would be the hardest to look at. Instead, I found that the end video from the exhibit “Remember the Children: Danielle’s Story”, the beds that victims were murder on, and the clay sculpture of the reenactment of the gas chamber and cremation scene stirred up much more emotion then the still pictures. Hearing the voices of the victims, seeing the areas where thousands of mentally retarded children were murdered, and seeing the three dimensional images of humans being murdered definitely brought out new levels of emotions involving anger, sadness, and sorrow. In addition, I assumed that women were harassed and treated just as bad as jews and homosexuals, but I did not realize that women were often the first ones to go into the gas chambers. Upon viewing the three dimensional sculpture of the gas chambers and how women were forced to enter first exhibits how women were thought of as the least necessary and useful people. This depiction in the museum shows that it is non feminist because it shows a lack of importance and respect for women, and feminism is about being equal with everyone, especially males.
The final museum I went to was the National Museum of African Art. When I entered the building I assumed that since Africa tends to place more power and emphasis on men and their abilities, that more of the sculptures would be of men than women. This was not the case though, for there was approximately an equal number of male sculptures to female sculptures. This shows that the National Museum of African Art is feminist, since it equally represents males and females by showing the importance of balance in African culture. In addition, I assumed that the men’s sculptures would depict power and the women’s sculptures would depict fertility. Although this was the case in most pieces, there were a few pieces where women were representing a supporting role that they play in the community. Once again this museum can be considered feminist since it showing that women play key roles in the community such as support and fertility, and feminism is about making the important aspects and areas women contribute to the community to be well know and well appreciated.
As seen, all four of these museums connected feminism and art in some way, whether they were a feminist museum or a non feminist museum. In addition, all of the museums were very interesting and represented very different points of view about feminism and art in their respected areas of study. Overall, visiting the museums was a very enriching experience that greatly broadened my views regarding feminism and art.
Erika Sundberg
WMST250
2/14/08
Assumptions about Feminism and Art
Assignment #1
On February 9th, 2008 I traveled to downtown D.C and visited the National Museum of Women and the Arts, National Museum of the American Indian, U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, and the National Museum of African Art. Although all four of these museums connected feminism and art in some way, each portrayed a very different message through their exhibits. While some of these museums could be considered feminist, others on the other hand could be considered non feminist. As I visited each museum, I got a better understanding of the views and treatment of women throughout each culture.
The first museum I went to was the National Museum of Women and the Arts. Simply upon hearing the title of the museum I believed it would be a feminist museum, and after walking around and studying its art I believe my assumption was correct. Before I entered the building, I assumed that all the pieces of art would be paintings or portraits of very proper and well respected women from history by female artists. Although there were such paintings around the museum, I was surprised to see that the majority of art was not dedicated to this genre. Instead, there was a great deal of modern and recent figures portrayed in paintings as well as photographs which depicted the physical as well as emotional strength and power of female figures in todays world. For example, a picture taken by Annie Leibovitz in 1996 of the famous gymnast Dominique Moceanu depicted her large muscles and physical strength as a young girl, but more importantly showed her perseverance and determination to succeed through her piercing eyes and body language. Therefore, the National Museum of Women and the Arts is a feminist place because its art is showing the physical as well as emotional strength that women possess, and that is one of the main goals and theories that feminists are trying to get across to the public, especially the male gender. In addition, with regard to “art” I assumed that the art in this museum was only going to be portraits and paintings of women by women, and was startled to see that there were several different silver objects made my a woman silversmith. This different media was a surprise, because although I know that art is not limited to paintings and portraits, I had never truly though of a silversmiths as artists. Once again, this shows that the National Museum of Women and the Arts is a feminist place because it shows that women are not only skilled at making portraits and paintings, but other types of art medium as well, and feminism is about proving that women are good at a variety of things just like men.
The second museum that I went to was the National Museum of American Indian. Upon walking into this museum I believed that it was not a feminist museum, but after looking around and doing some research I discovered that my opinion had changed. Upon first walking around I assumed that art had to be a photograph, sculpture, panting, or portrait, but I soon realized that the traditional dresses that the Native American women create are pieces of art. As interesting as it is to think of an item of clothing such as a dress as a work of art, these dresses are most certainly considered works of art, for an incredible amount of time, precision, and care must go into making each dress. This museum is therefor feminist since the dresses that the Native American women make are so highly honored and regarded through out their specific tribes, and feminism is about honoring and respecting the things that women do and create. Therefore it does meet this definition of feminism since men honor the dresses the women make, and in return honor the women who make them. In addition, I assumed that women were looked down upon in American Indian culture before walking around and reading the information on the walls. After gathering several facts about their culture I discovered that the museum is feminist since elder women are very highly respected since they are thought of as keepers of a vast amount of knowledge, and feminism is about women being regarded and treated as equals.
The third museum that I visited was the Holocaust Memorial Museum. Before entering the museum I had the notion that it was going to be a non feminist museum, and after walking around I realized that I was correct. In regard to art, I assumed that there would be pictures of some of the famous gas chambers that were used to kill millions of jews during the Holocaust, and that this form of art would be the hardest to look at. Instead, I found that the end video from the exhibit “Remember the Children: Danielle’s Story”, the beds that victims were murder on, and the clay sculpture of the reenactment of the gas chamber and cremation scene stirred up much more emotion then the still pictures. Hearing the voices of the victims, seeing the areas where thousands of mentally retarded children were murdered, and seeing the three dimensional images of humans being murdered definitely brought out new levels of emotions involving anger, sadness, and sorrow. In addition, I assumed that women were harassed and treated just as bad as jews and homosexuals, but I did not realize that women were often the first ones to go into the gas chambers. Upon viewing the three dimensional sculpture of the gas chambers and how women were forced to enter first exhibits how women were thought of as the least necessary and useful people. This depiction in the museum shows that it is non feminist because it shows a lack of importance and respect for women, and feminism is about being equal with everyone, especially males.
The final museum I went to was the National Museum of African Art. When I entered the building I assumed that since Africa tends to place more power and emphasis on men and their abilities, that more of the sculptures would be of men than women. This was not the case though, for there was approximately an equal number of male sculptures to female sculptures. This shows that the National Museum of African Art is feminist, since it equally represents males and females by showing the importance of balance in African culture. In addition, I assumed that the men’s sculptures would depict power and the women’s sculptures would depict fertility. Although this was the case in most pieces, there were a few pieces where women were representing a supporting role that they play in the community. Once again this museum can be considered feminist since it showing that women play key roles in the community such as support and fertility, and feminism is about making the important aspects and areas women contribute to the community to be well know and well appreciated.
As seen, all four of these museums connected feminism and art in some way, whether they were a feminist museum or a non feminist museum. In addition, all of the museums were very interesting and represented very different points of view about feminism and art in their respected areas of study. Overall, visiting the museums was a very enriching experience that greatly broadened my views regarding feminism and art.
Erika Sundberg
WMST250
2/14/08
Assumptions about Feminism and Art
Assignment #1
On February 9th, 2008 I traveled to downtown D.C and visited the National Museum of Women and the Arts, National Museum of the American Indian, U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, and the National Museum of African Art. Although all four of these museums connected feminism and art in some way, each portrayed a very different message through their exhibits. While some of these museums could be considered feminist, others on the other hand could be considered non feminist. As I visited each museum, I got a better understanding of the views and treatment of women throughout each culture.
The first museum I went to was the National Museum of Women and the Arts. Simply upon hearing the title of the museum I believed it would be a feminist museum, and after walking around and studying its art I believe my assumption was correct. Before I entered the building, I assumed that all the pieces of art would be paintings or portraits of very proper and well respected women from history by female artists. Although there were such paintings around the museum, I was surprised to see that the majority of art was not dedicated to this genre. Instead, there was a great deal of modern and recent figures portrayed in paintings as well as photographs which depicted the physical as well as emotional strength and power of female figures in todays world. For example, a picture taken by Annie Leibovitz in 1996 of the famous gymnast Dominique Moceanu depicted her large muscles and physical strength as a young girl, but more importantly showed her perseverance and determination to succeed through her piercing eyes and body language. Therefore, the National Museum of Women and the Arts is a feminist place because its art is showing the physical as well as emotional strength that women possess, and that is one of the main goals and theories that feminists are trying to get across to the public, especially the male gender. In addition, with regard to “art” I assumed that the art in this museum was only going to be portraits and paintings of women by women, and was startled to see that there were several different silver objects made my a woman silversmith. This different media was a surprise, because although I know that art is not limited to paintings and portraits, I had never truly though of a silversmiths as artists. Once again, this shows that the National Museum of Women and the Arts is a feminist place because it shows that women are not only skilled at making portraits and paintings, but other types of art medium as well, and feminism is about proving that women are good at a variety of things just like men.
The second museum that I went to was the National Museum of American Indian. Upon walking into this museum I believed that it was not a feminist museum, but after looking around and doing some research I discovered that my opinion had changed. Upon first walking around I assumed that art had to be a photograph, sculpture, panting, or portrait, but I soon realized that the traditional dresses that the Native American women create are pieces of art. As interesting as it is to think of an item of clothing such as a dress as a work of art, these dresses are most certainly considered works of art, for an incredible amount of time, precision, and care must go into making each dress. This museum is therefor feminist since the dresses that the Native American women make are so highly honored and regarded through out their specific tribes, and feminism is about honoring and respecting the things that women do and create. Therefore it does meet this definition of feminism since men honor the dresses the women make, and in return honor the women who make them. In addition, I assumed that women were looked down upon in American Indian culture before walking around and reading the information on the walls. After gathering several facts about their culture I discovered that the museum is feminist since elder women are very highly respected since they are thought of as keepers of a vast amount of knowledge, and feminism is about women being regarded and treated as equals.
The third museum that I visited was the Holocaust Memorial Museum. Before entering the museum I had the notion that it was going to be a non feminist museum, and after walking around I realized that I was correct. In regard to art, I assumed that there would be pictures of some of the famous gas chambers that were used to kill millions of jews during the Holocaust, and that this form of art would be the hardest to look at. Instead, I found that the end video from the exhibit “Remember the Children: Danielle’s Story”, the beds that victims were murder on, and the clay sculpture of the reenactment of the gas chamber and cremation scene stirred up much more emotion then the still pictures. Hearing the voices of the victims, seeing the areas where thousands of mentally retarded children were murdered, and seeing the three dimensional images of humans being murdered definitely brought out new levels of emotions involving anger, sadness, and sorrow. In addition, I assumed that women were harassed and treated just as bad as jews and homosexuals, but I did not realize that women were often the first ones to go into the gas chambers. Upon viewing the three dimensional sculpture of the gas chambers and how women were forced to enter first exhibits how women were thought of as the least necessary and useful people. This depiction in the museum shows that it is non feminist because it shows a lack of importance and respect for women, and feminism is about being equal with everyone, especially males.
The final museum I went to was the National Museum of African Art. When I entered the building I assumed that since Africa tends to place more power and emphasis on men and their abilities, that more of the sculptures would be of men than women. This was not the case though, for there was approximately an equal number of male sculptures to female sculptures. This shows that the National Museum of African Art is feminist, since it equally represents males and females by showing the importance of balance in African culture. In addition, I assumed that the men’s sculptures would depict power and the women’s sculptures would depict fertility. Although this was the case in most pieces, there were a few pieces where women were representing a supporting role that they play in the community. Once again this museum can be considered feminist since it showing that women play key roles in the community such as support and fertility, and feminism is about making the important aspects and areas women contribute to the community to be well know and well appreciated.
As seen, all four of these museums connected feminism and art in some way, whether they were a feminist museum or a non feminist museum. In addition, all of the museums were very interesting and represented very different points of view about feminism and art in their respected areas of study. Overall, visiting the museums was a very enriching experience that greatly broadened my views regarding feminism and art.
Assumptions about Feminism and Art
Just in this first assignment I learned a lot about feminism in art. I had always assumed that feminist art had to portray women’s fight and struggle against patriarchy. I assumed that all feminist artwork would portray women in a more dominant, almost manly light, to contradict the passive and delicate mold in which they have traditionally been placed. I assumed that feminist artwork would not portray women in their traditional role in the family. I assumed that all feminist art would confront gender issues in society. I assumed that feminist art would attack the typical stereotypes of women. I assumed that feminist art would not include nude portrayals of women. I assumed feminist art had to be created by women. Through my trips to four different museums in Washington D.C., I discovered my assumptions about feminist art were very wrong and mistaken.
I first visited the National Museum of Women and the Arts (NMWA), which is the only museum in the world completely dedicated to female artists. After seeing the “The Book as Art” exhibition, my initial assumptions about feminist art were dispelled. This particular exhibition was dedicated to books made out of different interesting materials such as tree leaves and cans. Just the idea that these books could be considered feminist artwork because they were created by women artists dismissed my belief that feminist art had to portray a message against patriarchy.
I spent a lot of time in the permanent collection of the NMWA, looking at various art mediums ranging from the sixteenth to twentieth centuries. It was fascinating comparing artwork from different centuries when women played such different roles in society. I noticed that female artists from earlier periods like the 15 and 1600’s focused mainly on still life paintings and more realistic portraits. While it was apparent women artists in the twentieth century still couldn’t be as free with their art as they desired, they were able to take many more risks than artists before them, such as diving into abstract art. I noticed Georgia O’Keeffe, my favorite female artist’s, contribution in the museum: an early charcoal still life drawing of avocados that was very different from her later colorful floral paintings I have grown to love. While O’Keeffe still drew a still life like women artists of the sixteenth century, she put her own unique twist on it by not including many details or color, in addition to creatively naming the still life, “Alligator Pears in a Basket.” O’Keeffe serves as an example of how women were able to interpret artwork more freely over time as their artwork and place in society was growing more accepted and distinguished. I would definitely consider the National Museum of Women and the Art a feminist museum as the entire venue is dedicated to uplifting and celebrating women’s role in the art world. The feminist museum makes all of its visitors conscious of the important role women have played throughout the past centuries in all different kinds of art such as sculptures, paintings, and photographs, therefore it can be defined feminist.
Viewing art at the National Museum of the American Indian helped me understand women’s art expressed in a particular culture. I thoroughly enjoyed the exhibition “Identity by Design” that displayed unique intricate Native American women’s dresses. The entire exhibition focused on how Native American women were able to make dress making a new expressive art form that could help identify themselves. The different styles, patterns, colors, and beads helped women to formulate their own story through the dresses that contributed to their identity as a woman. Some of the dresses I saw were so detailed and intricate, that women had spent years making one single dress. Prior to visiting the museums, I had assumed feminist artwork would not portray women in their traditional family roles; however this exhibition helped me see otherwise. Even though dress making has always been considered a woman’s job, “Identity by Design” celebrated this art form and the ability it has to help women create and commemorate their own identity. I found the exhibition feminist because it was dedicated towards women’s identity and celebrated not only the creative art form of dress making, but the dress makers’ identities as well.
I would not consider the entire museum to be feminist however, because it centered around all of Native American culture, not just women. It was interesting to view the way women were portrayed in other exhibitions, such as “Our Peoples: Giving Voice to Our Histories” and “Our Universes.” Women in Native American tribes were not only child rearers and family care takers, they were also craft makers, farmers, food gatherers, home builders, and tool makers. I thought that these exhibitions did a great job portraying the important contributions of women to Native American tribes and culture, and thus I would say they had feminist characteristics and attributes.
At the National Gallery of Art I spent the most time looking at the French impressionist paintings. I had never thought of impressionism art as being feminist- and still am not quite sure I do- however I was surprised to find an entire room in the gallery dedicated to paintings of women. I had previously assumed feminist art had to be more aggressive in order to fight back against the stereotypes of women. Yet I was pleasantly surprised to find feminist paintings portraying women in a delicate fashion. I saw many of Mary Cassatt’s paintings of mothers and children, in addition to Edgar Degas’ famous ballerina paintings. I do think that this exhibition can be considered feminist because at least a whole room had artwork devoted to paintings of women portrayed in an uplifting, positive, and beautiful light.
For my fourth museum, I decided to visit the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum. While I was fully aware that the museum would not be dedicated to women or feminism, I was still fascinated to see the museum that I could connect to through my Jewish heritage. I thought the exhibition, “Remember the Children: Daniel’s Story” was very creative, interactive, and a great way to involve kids in acknowledging the Holocaust. The exhibition told a story of a typical Jewish kid living during the time of Nazi Germany and I was able to physically walk down a timeline of Daniel’s life through the excellent scenery set up in the exhibition. From his home to the Jewish Ghetto to eventually the concentration camp, I was able to see the miserable shift in lifestyle such a young child was forced to endure. In addition to this exhibition, all the photographs and stories shared throughout the museum were extremely moving. While feminism appears to not really be a meaningful element in the Holocaust museum, I realized that they actually relate quite well. Feminism is not just about gaining equality for women, it is about equality for all people. Feminists would not support the discrimination, inequity, and subjugation Jews and other prisoners faced under the Nazis. In a way, feminists are fighting for the same thing Jews in World War II were fighting for: acknowledgment and equality.
I consider feminism to be the fight for equal rights for women. It's as simple as that. However, for some reason, I assumed that feminism would be feisty, loud, a type of in-your-face, outspoken cry for equality rather than a simple belief. Then I went to the National Museum of Women and the Arts. Knowing that this was a feminist museum, I expected a museum that was full of bright colors, lots of modern and thought-provoking paintings, and mixed media art all of which can be described by the adjectives I mentioned above. I expected both young and old employees who dressed in a bit of a punk-rock style and upbeat music to be playing from speakers placed all over the museum. I was however met with calm, serene silence in what looked like a very sophisticated and traditional museum. I was surprised as soon as I walked in. After visiting all four floors, my definition of feminism was shaken. I saw more of the subtle ways in which the museum was feminist. I took my new knowledge and applied it when I went to the National Museum of the American Indian, National Gallery of Art, and Hirshhorn. I looked for feminism that displayed itself in less obvious and feisty ways which is what I originally looked for when I first walked into the National Museum of Women and the Arts.
As I walked through and looked through the paintings at the National Museum of Women and the Arts, I looked for things that showed facets of feminism. I noticed that all of the artists were women. On the first floor, the paintings were from the 17th-18th century. The paintings were still life, portraits, of Mary and Jesus, and other traditional things.This was surprising because although I had not consciously thought it, I had simply assumed that there weren't that many female painters in that time period because we don't see those types of paintings by women anywhere else. I caught myself saying "Wow, these are actually good." Even right now, it is hard to imagine a woman painting such paintings because I have always assumed the painter to be a male. One reason the museum is feminist is because the simple fact that the artists were women. It showed off something that I hadn't seen anywhere else and it shook my belief that painting was dominated by men in history. Because it shook my faith it is feminist because it showed me that women were just as talented as men were in that field. Showing equality exists between males and females is a goal in feminism.
I was mulling over the new idea that women painters existed and were just as good as males in that time period when I came across a painting entitled Wonderful You by Jane Hammond. It was a mixed media piece that had icons from history that are always considered to be male with her head on each of the icons. Buddha, Jack in the Box, Frosty the Snowman, Mickey Mouse, and many others all had her head on it. It was a strong piece that would not be found anywhere else. This is another reason why the National Museum of Women and the Arts is feminist. I would not be able to see this kind of artwork at traditional places such as the MET. It was unique, wonderfully feminist, and on display. It was painting that other museums would shy away from but this museum gladly displayed.
After having learned that feminism isn't all about angriness, rebelling, and viciously fighting for equality at the National Museum of Women and the Arts, I then visited the National Gallery of Art. It was mostly what I expected from a typical traditional art museum. There were sculptures of naked men and women, paintings of still life, portraits, pastels, oil paintings, photography, everything. The problem was, almost every single one of the artists were male. After having visited the National Museum of Women and the Arts, I was well aware that many female artists existed at the time. I wondered if the National Gallery of Art was not displaying as many works by women because the quality of women's work wasn't as great as the work of men or if the National Gallery of Art wasn't being feminist. Feminist simply means believing women and men are equal and in this day and age I like to think most men are feminists even though most may not say they are because for some it is associated with the image of angry, bra-burning women. Is the National Gallery of Art anti-feminist?
The National Gallery of Art website discusses how in early 19th century, portraits became "elongated and idealized to conform to the prevailing standards of elegance and beauty" (www.nga.gov). That statement refers mostly to the portraits of women. Why is it that only women must uphold a certain standard of beauty? Why are paintings with women as subjects always about beauty and physical appearance? When do you see a painting that is about male elegance and male beauty? I had wondered these questions while I was walking through the museum because a lot of the portraits were of women and they were at many times naked. It was frustrating to see. These things made me question whether or not the museum was feminist. I would say that the museum does not try or go out of its way to create equality for men and women through its art and therefore, it is not feminist.
The National Museum of the American Indian had a special exhibit on display the time I visited called Identity by Design. It is all about the dresses the Native American women designed and wore. At first, I was taken aback and a little angry that the only section the whole museum has dedicated to women, is about dresses. It made me frustrated because yet again, only the beauty and physical appearance of women were being addressed. Then I started walking around and I saw how the captions talked about the labor that went in to the dresses and the stories the dresses told. I saw how important the dresses were to the culture and how the women's artistic skills were displayed through this certain form of expression. I came to appreciate the exhibit more than I had initially. Now I think that because the museum focused on something that was so important to the culture of Native Americans was contributed and thanks to women, it showed the equality that existed between men and women. I believe that since the whole exhibit was based around women, the museum is putting an effort into gender equality which is feminist.
The last museum I visited was Hirshhorn, a modern art museum. This is the museum where I saw the least distinction between men and women. I didn't understand most of the works of art because they were all very abstract and symbolic. There is a possibility that some of the art had meanings that I was unaware of, because I didn't many of the paintings, that were very anti-feminist. It seemed, however, that especially in the Recent Acquisitions exhibit there was a bit of equality between men and women because there were much more female artists on display than there were in the National Gallery of Art. I feel that many of the subjects for the artwork on display at Hirshhorn is entirely different from the subjects of other art museums. It is so contemporary and therefore shied away from the subject of women. It instead focuses on how life works, reality, the soul, and such. The museum as a whole seemed very gender neutral. This raises another question. Is gender neutral the same thing as gender equality? If there is no distinction between males and females and a lot of female artists are on display, then is it creating equality? I would say that Hirshhorn is feminist because it has evolved past the subjects of female beauty and has acquired new subjects that touch more on the human soul. Gender is not an issue here.
I have learned a lot about feminism because of these museums. My definition of feminism has definitely changed and now I am wiser for it. I have also learned that other classical museums like the National Gallery of Art are probably just like it and do not try to be feminist while modern art museums like Hirshhorn probably will. Different types of museums have different environments that house different types of thought, some of which are feminist, some of which aren't.
assumptions...
1. I assumed that the art at the National Museum of Women and the Arts would be bold, loud, striking, modern, abstract, and to be frank, a little punk-rockish. I was instead met with classical art and the paintings were quite traditional.
2. I assumed that the environment in the National Museum of Women and the Arts would be lively, rebellious, upbeat, and a little feisty. I was instead met with a serene, calm, and more composed environment.
3. I assumed that the walls of the National Museum of Women and the Arts would be crammed with paintings, but they were not. Rather, there was ample room in between paintings and they were scattered across the walls.
4. I assumed that the decoration within the National Museum of Women and the Arts would be the opposite of feminine but I found the museum to be rather lady-like and graceful.
5. Evaluating the above four assumptions, I can see that I assumed that being feminist was synonymous to bold, audacious, and almost angry.
6. I assumed that such established museums such as the National Museum of Women and the Arts and Hirshhorn wouldn't have on display the crazy, incomprehensible abstracts you always hear about (such as a white canvas with nothing but a light pink grid drawn with pencil on it or a white canvas with nothing but a circle).
7. I assumed that the art at the National Gallery of Art and Hirshhorn would all be high art, which for me meant extremely intricate, extremely detailed, and impossible for me to replicate. There were things, however, that made me wonder what made it so special. What made it art?
My museum experience began with the “National Museum of Women and the Arts,” which I assumed would be feminist. After exploring I concluded that it was feminist because it glorifies the talents and progression of women as artists and people. This closely ties into my idea of feminism as a form of drawing attention to the abilities of women. The interior decor and atmosphere also played out on the feminist theme. Before arriving I had strongly assumed that for an all female artist museum there would be a strong feminist atmosphere. Part of doing this would be avoiding the female stereotypes of fashion, the color pink, and a general “girly” atmosphere. The assumption was proven wrong almost immediately. Upon entering the marble floored main room a giant portrait of the museum founder is hanging on the wall. The founder, a female, is dressed in a long, draping dress in the color pink. The next big shock came walking into the main ballroom. The room was ornamented and lined with pink marble. This also was really shocking for the same reason as the way the founder was depicted in the portrait. The layout of the museum looked like it strongly supported performances and events.
Looking closely at the artwork and its history corrected another assumption of mine that the feminist artists would originate from the lower class women who were free to step outside of social guidelines that the upper class would have probably been confined to. The truth is that it is quite the opposite of what I thought. Women artists in the United States had nowhere to study art but some schools in Europe. So it was only the rich Americans who could afford to go to Europe and study art who became the first of the female artists. This is confirmed in the artwork by looking at the older vs. newer art. Most of the older dated work would be self-portraits of what would look like women of nobility, landscapes of beautiful places, and people participating in activities of the “wealthy”. For example, one painting was of a group of well-dressed men and women playing croquette.
The assumption about the subject of the artwork was partly true. At first women only painted a lot of portraits, children, and still life. However, this is only true of the older women’s paintings. As time and female artists progressed, new artists were able to push the boundries of what women were able to do with there artwork. With the more contemporary artists the work become more edgy such as the artwork by Paula Rego. Paula’s artwork reflected a more “dark” art than most of the other exhibits in the gallery. A section of her exhibit titled “abortion” pushed the edges of what once wouldn’t be socially acceptable characteristic of a contemporary feminist artist.
The Hirshhorn layout is that of a standard art gallery, primarily to show off gallery work such as paintings and sculptures and other displays. I assumed that the Hirshhorn wouldn’t be feminist as a major art gallery. Looking through the “New Acquisitions” exhibit quickly disproved the assumption. Most of the new acquisitions for the museum are by contemporary women artists, with a lot of strongly feminist artwork. One of the new artists name Carolee Schneeman is an example of a contemporary artist on display who tests the earlier boundaries of what women were able to once do. She was one of the first artists to explore the female body. She set up a studio for her art where she was able to present the female body as a material and explore the female sexuality. Another display by Mary Cable took the exploration of the female to a new level. She was a strong feminist and supporter of lesbian/homosexuals. She spoke out through her artwork as a performance artist by having the names of over a hundred women/gay/lesbian hate crime victims tattooed to herself and made a blood print of each name. This reflected my idea of feminism as standing out and supporting women in a strong or extreme way. There were many examples of artworks such as the blood prints, or a performing arts piece where a woman is rolling in blood and feathers that challenged my assumption that women’s art would primarily be “light” and not dark or twisted. The Hirshhorn proved to be a lot more feminist than I had assumed it would be.
The National Museum of the American Indian’s main hall has a large central stage for performances and overall is geared towards a lot of stage and performance arts. I somewhat expected the American Indian museum to be little feminist, which it proved to be. While there were not any strong pro-women displays, there was a theme of women as equals and/or superior throughout the museum. Many of the displays regarded women as “mother earth” or the “bringers of life.” This supports my definition of feminism as women being a strong entity of human life. Looking deeper into the exhibits supported a duality between men and women of the native American tribes. As hunter/gatherer societies the men would be the hunters and the women the gatherers and home keepers. While both rolls were very different each one was necessary so a certain respect was held between the two. Because the women were vital to this type of society they had a somewhat equal social status to men. The women were depicted in many of the displays as healers of the tribe and “carriers of life.” In fact, there was a display of Chief Anne Richardson, who was the first female tribe chief in over 300 years. Overall the American Indian proved to be more feminist than I imagined. One of my ideas of feminism is that women are equals in the community, which the American Indian museum does a beautiful job of showing through many exhibits of women as tribal leaders and equals in there community.
The final museum I visited was the United States Holocaust Memorial museum. I visited this once last because I felt it would be most moving to me as a Jew and having older family affected by the holocaust. I assumed that as a memorial to such a serious and dark event in history there wouldn’t be a strong focus on women but more on the human rights violations and social crimes that occurred during the period of time. While the museum did share the voices and views of women, the focus was not on women but on minority groups in general. Therefore it did not meet my definition for a feminist exhibit. Before entering the museum I assumed that the focus would strictly be on the holocaust. However, in the Wexner Learning Center of the museum there was a exhibit titled “Genocide Emergency – Darfur, Sudan, Who Will Survive Today?” In this the Holocaust museum sheds light on a genocide in Darfur. I was not expecting this, but it is understandable and great that the museum not only is there to remember the past but also to prevent these horrors in the future.
Assumptions:
1. I assumed that Feminism would spawn from lower class women earlier in time because of oppression and strict social guidelines of the rich.
2. I assumed that feminist/women’s art would include a lot of fashion etc…
3. I assumed that in Indian society the women probably weren’t treated as well as the men
4. I assumed that the founder of the National Museum of Women and the arts would not be glorified in pink.
5. I assumed that womens arts/paintings would be primarily of landscapes and portraits.
6. I assumed that the art produced by women would not be “heavy” or “dark”
7. I assumed that the holocaust museum would strictly be focused on the holocaust
Post a Comment