It’s Women’s History Month. Discover exhibitions, video interviews and book to explore this March. Learn about trailblazing photographers, cutting-edge pioneers and surrealist icons.
Hundred Heroines | Exhibitions and Resources
Hundred Heroines is a UK charity dedicated to advancing public awareness of women in photography. Their aim is to bring about better representation of women in cultural programming. Amongst their online resources is Struck By Light, a digital exhibition exploring the question: “What does a 21st century photograph look like?” Featured above (left) is a piece by Ellen Carey – who also curated the show. The abstract photograms are alive with vibrant colour and geometric shapes.
The Great Women Artists Podcast
Presented by art historian and curator Katy Hessel, The Great Women Artists Podcast interviews trailblazing contemporary artists on their careers. It’s also a destination to hear from key curators and writers, who discuss which female practitioners mean the most to them. All episodes are available to stream online – from conversations on Frida Kahlo and Dora Maar to interviews with the Guerrilla Girls, Shirin Neshat and Turner Prize-winner Lubaina Himid.
Tate’s YouTube channel has a playlist dedicated to women artists. It comprises clips about – and featuring – some of the most important artists of our times. From Nan Goldin’s raw photography to Kara Walker’s powerful installations, audiences can learn from creatives from the comfort of home. There are over 130 short films to watch for free. Take a deep dive into the polka-dot worlds of Yayoi Kusama, or navigate abstract sculptures by Barbara Hepworth. Featured above is Dóra Maurer, renowned for her avant-garde practice.
National Museum of Women in the Arts | Art Chats
NMWA celebrates women artists year-round. This month, they are hosting weekly Art Chats, introducing audiences to #5WomenArtists from the collection. It’s part of the annual social media campaign, in which cultural organisations and individuals take to social media to name five female practitioners – sparking a global conversation about gender equity in the arts. Digital audiences can also explore exhibitions of paper art, plus images by Graciela Iturbide.
“Nearly 50 years after the release of the feminist anthem I Am Woman, women still find their numbers underrepresented in politics, business and museum collections,” says Smithsonian. “Whilst this exhibition draws its name from the 1970s song, it highlights a more contemporary feminism that is not based on any single narrative of womanhood, but explores the vital contributions of women to numerous issues including the environment, identity, politics, race, sexuality, social activism, faith and more.” Ghada Amer’s sculpture, shown above, is a tribute to all the women who have risked standing up for what they believe in. A vast and compelling online presentation.
Why do women architects still not receive the recognition their work deserves? This new title is a manifesto for the great achievements of women in the field. It spotlights the voices of 36 international names, showcasing their projects through striking photography. The survey is supplemented by in-depth essays and analyses, exploring these buildings in detail whilst revealing the structures of inequality underpinning the industry. Kazuyo Sejima and Odile Decq are amongst those featured.
Women and Art | Online Resources
“Men put me down as the best woman painter… I think I’m one of the best painters.” – Georgia O’Keeffe. What does it mean to be a woman in art? Tate’s webpage offers video interviews, in-depth artwork features and online displays. Hear VALIE EXPORT discuss how she created her own identity. Learn to weave like Anni Albers. Discover Women and Power, a digital show exploring empowerment across the centuries through works in the collection.
Women in Culture | Online Resources
Innovative artists. Pioneering scientists. Women who campaigned for universal suffrage and social equality. Google Arts’ online presentation looks at trailblazers across all aspects of culture, from athletes to astronauts. Audiences can learn more about pioneering LGBTQI+ figures, activists and pop culture icons. Slideshows include: 7 Early Women Photographers; African-American Women and the Civil Rights Movement; The Forgotten Women Scientists of History and more.
How to See: Surrealist Women Artists | Video
Think about Surrealism. Who comes to mind? Figures like Salvador Dalí, René Magritte and Max Ernst are often the first people we remember. But what did the movement become in the hands of women artists? The Museum of Modern Art spotlights a host of intriguing women who were associated with the Surrealist movement, including Claude Cahun, Frida Kahlo, Dora Maar, Meret Oppenheim and Remedios Varo. These artists explored their subconscious minds, delving into the worlds of fantasy, dreams and desire.
Why Have There Been No Great Women Artists? | Book
Linda Nochlin’s landmark essay is regarded as the first major work of feminist art history, encouraging readers to question their own assumptions and think in new ways. It dismantles the idea of “greatness” and “male-centric genius” in art. Thames and Hudson have released a special edition, published together with the author’s reflections three decades on. Written in an era of thriving feminist theory, as well as queer theory, race and postcolonial studies, it’s “a striking reflection on the emergence of a whole new canon.”
Image Credits:
1. Aida Muluneh, Sai Mado (The Distant Gaze), 2016.
