Female Art

Medea Paatashvili

Recently the interest towards female artists has widely risen all around the world (at least in mostly active art areas and biennials). Some advise investing into art made by female artists, some write large reviews about women in art history. Definitely it is time to have a closer look on the art created by women.

The first question that comes to mind is there any difference between female and male art. How one can distinguish?

Maybe the color palette is different?

Or are the themes risen distinguished?

For better understanding let’s review the works made by famous female artists of the 20th and 21st century - Frida Kalo, Tamara Lempicka, Yayoi Kusama, Martha Rosler and Tauba Auerbach.

Frida uses harsh, almost primitivistic visual language to introduce her subconscious world reflecting her reality. She uses a strong, direct way of conveying her art.

On the contrary to the works of  Kalo, Tamara Lempicka is quite a feminine and sensual artist. Her visual language is quite decorative though rich in contrast colours that add some depth and sensuality to her works.

Yayoi Kusama is quite mysterious when revealing her world. Though using the very limited means of visual language she involves the viewer into the wonder of her inner space that turns into an exciting journey among the mirrors of  her own self.

Martha Rosler is focused on the problems of society especially when it regards women. Her non-conventional approach on revealing female oppression is quite striking in her 1975 year work «Semiotics of the kitchen». She reveals the inner judge that every woman has.

Metaphysical art of Tauba Auerbach is appealing to our senses providing almost physical perception of her work.

Thus despite an emotional approach in creating art female artists provide deep and meaningful works.

But there is a serious price gap between art made by female artists and male artists. Also there are much fewer female artists presented by the commercial galleries than male artists. What can be advised to improve an existing situation?

Definitely more action is needed to enlarge the area of female art representation. Female artists have to create art unions promoting female art, organize more events and conferences regarding female artists world wide. They should promote not only contemporary art but also have to raise interest towards Etno art with female roots of different countries.

Hans Ulrich Obrist, Molly Nesbitt and Rirkrit Tiravanija in their 2003 year project «Utopia Station» raised quite a significant subject of reexamining the existing relationships in the art world and its connections and dependencies on the economy and different governmental or cultural structures. This could be one of the directions where female art could highly contribute. Also it is important to enlarge the value of female art in economic, cultural and symbolic capital.

It is not an easy task to define the priority but certainly a lot of efforts are to be made and a lot of goals are to be achieved by female artists. Female art needs its own philosophy and ethics, its own conceptual story to be developed.  And it needs its own economy in order to support its own ideas and plans.

Unlike artists of Feminist Movement, female artists should focus on every topic: technical issues, science, economy, social challenges, ecology and e.t.c. Female artists have to enlarge their presence in every sphere of life. Since remaining in the shadow of one's own feelings or in deep frustration from social inequality can’t lead out of the gap. Only moving forward towards new horizons with shining goals can change an existing  imbalance.

2023