Main content
Course: Tate > Unit 3
Lesson 3: Women as Artists- Barbara Hepworth: Pioneering modern sculpture
- More than Picasso's muse: Françoise Gilot
- Biddy Peppin on the female Vorticists
- Art and identity in the work of Lorna Simpson
- Fiona Rae on paint and passion
- Nan Goldin's snapshots of innocence and childhood
- Key Points
© 2024 Khan AcademyTerms of usePrivacy PolicyCookie Notice
Key Points
Google ClassroomIn this tutorial we've met women artists from past and present who have created, crafted, and forged their way forward with their work. Here pioneers in painting, sculpture, and ideas of modernism who set the tone for art to come, alongside contemporary women painters, photographers, and professionals whose practices continue to be rich and varied.
Barbara Hepworth's sculptures, for example, transform viewers into participants, inviting us to touch and interact with her work in a way that might not be common in most galleries or museums.
And artists like Françoise Gilot, and the female Vorticists Helen Saunders and Jessica Dismorr, have roundly challenged the claim that women are somehow less "qualified" to be artists than men. Why do you think it was so difficult for women artists in the early 20th century to become successful?
Finally, we've seen contemporary artists like Lorna Simpson and Nan Goldin finding ways to engage with the art world despite facing challenge and marginalisation, speaking about issues that are unique to them as women, artists, and creative practitioners. What kind of influence does identity have on an artist? In what ways do you think gender, race, social class, or sexual orientation would have an effect on an artist's work?
Want to join the conversation?
Why do you think it was so difficult for women artists in the early 20th century to become successful?
I think a large part of the reason has to do with that women lacked basic rights such as the right to vote at that time in many countries around the world. There were an abundant amount of social injustices that only recently have been turned around and there are still many more that have yet to be corrected.
What kind of influence does identity have on an artist? In what ways do you think gender, race, social class, or sexual orientation would have an effect on an artist's work?
I feel that the identity of an artist can influence how a work of art is perceived. It can change how an artist makes his or her art as well, but mainly it changes the ways in which an artist may be judged. For example, I think if we as the audience were shown a painting or sculpture and not told who made it that we form prejudices and beliefs about who we think painted the work of art. The ironic thing is that we may change our minds once it is revealed who or what originally painted a work of art, such as the famous case where art critics were duped into thinking a new famous artist was on the scene, but only later realized it was in fact a monkey making the works of art.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pierre_Brassau(6 votes)
I think one's identity will always colour the way one sees the world because one's experiences of life are very much shaped by one's identity, whether it be race, class, gender, or something else. For that reason, a truly successful artist's preoccupations will be with the things she knows best and can portray most intimately and accurately with the insight that marks all true works of art.(4 votes)
I think that it was difficult for female artists to become successful in the early 20th century because the art world was male-dominated. Throughout history, the art world has been biased toward male artists due to patriarchal society.
An artist's work can be influenced by that artist's identities. A female artist can express how she feels about being seen as inferior by society because of her gender, race, social class, beliefs, sexual orientation, and romantic orientation through her work.(1 vote)- I find that a vast majority of all art is created by individuals who seek a way to fully express themselves, to overcome their fears, insecurities and feelings. This more directly applies to individuals who are considered "different" based on their sexuality, gender, race etc. And these problems that these individuals may or may not face reflects on their art in some way.(1 vote)