Planet of the Arts, vol.4, no.3 WOMENS ART Is there a women’s art? This question is difficult to answer and has been wrought with controversy since the rise of the . women’s movement in the late sixties. Has the women’s movement affected the way women make art? Art critic and feminist Lucy Lippard points out that “Every person’s experience is different from every other person’s. Art is individual. It is still possible, however, to generalize about it. Black experience is different from white. Poor is different from rich. Child’s art is different from adult’s. And women’s is different from men’s.” Sex is bound to be a factor in women’s work precisely because women have been sex objects and are much more aware of their bodies then men. Sexual or biological identity is, of course, not the -only factor in women’s art. Is there an art unique to women? If so, what makes these distinctions? In her book, From the Center, Lucy Lippard states: “There are aspects of women’s art that are inaccessible to men and these aspects arise from the fact that women’s political, biological and social experience is different from that of a man.” Certain elements are found far more often in the work of women than that of men. Examples would be use of a primary focus (circular or oval), biomorphic forms, sexual imagery such as eggs, spheres, domes and boxes, tactile or sensuous surfaces and forms, associative fragmentation, obsessive line and detail, veiled strata and autobiographical empha- sis. Although these observations are a generality, the autobiographical aspect is specific to many women’s art. Is this common imagery the product of social conditioning or something deeper? Is it perhaps, the result of a conscious awareness of one’s experi- ence as a woman? It must be! Often, blatantly female art becomes redefined as a women’s work matures and gains a broader audience. The former images become subtle variations or are discarded completely. Frequently, women who are newly introduced to the feminist perspective move from a neutralized to an overt contact with their own experience. “My art has no gender” is a common state- ment. Certainly, art has no gender,but artists do. There is resistance amongst women to be identified with other women artist’s, a product of years of rebellion against derogatory connotations of the label “feminine”. To be “one of the boys” was to be accepted. Paint like aman. Yet it is an accepted perception that “male artists have more of the woman in them than some other men in other professions!” observes art historian Linda Nochlin. The women’s movement made it possible to stop feeling inferior. This change of attitude has not been overnight. We are recognizing that emphases on female experience are positive, not negative, characteristics. Lippard notes,”To deny one’s sex is to deny a large part of where art comes from. To make important or even communicable art requires a strong sense of source and self on one hand and a strong sense of audience and communi- cation on the other.” Society has not yet changed a great deal for women in the eighties, so we are seeing a mixture of what women really want to do and what they think they should do. “The most convincing women’s art,” however, states Lippard “is very personal, and being very personal finds a system of it’s own.” Margaret Bootsma A SEARCH ING- Fo Mi I was sitting at my desk dreaming I was not sitting at my desk when I was not I was falling falling falling dragged down towards the floor by some strong-fingered gravity that did not stop at down but pulled me deep into the concrete oh a good four inches so I could hear nothing ears imbedded no but wait I could hear something I could hear the walls talking in that slow, pulsing voice they use so full of asbestos, grit, murdered mice, and only dead flaked skin is there off stu- dents: no memories of who was there or why they cared or who cried wolf/raise/access/solidarity/no more fluorocarbons/deadlines emotional angst or lewd words in the washrooms, used condoms behind the toilets, someone’s lost their pendant, someone’s lost their mind, no none of that just some of thuds and slams and whines and generation clocks ticking like the concrete has a memory of before it was alive when bits were in the earth and flies buzzed around its head and the building pretends it is a fly with oh so many eyes and buzzed and twitched and cleans its feet but so fast or slow you cannot see like a giant fly like a hairy bug like nothing you ever dreamed comes licking at my ears 10,000 cold proboscis tongues come and lick my ears and I am calmed like some large larvae head warmed by the stone and jump up 60 pounds of concrete heavy around my eyes I walk down halls and hear me roar my weight is huge and I am here to tell you all the building is on my side my chip is my shoulder and you are outclassed or out of class for I have the floor my god I am the floor hear me roar as you walk all over me. Ann Marie Fleming A: They both have read the book that is "a must for anyone who wants to succeed in business!" S\L'N Sule, y ole uy g Planet of the Arts, vol.4, no.3 Is there a women's art? ‘This question is dificult to answer and has ‘been wrought with controversy since the rise of the ‘women’s movement in the late sixties. Has the women’s movement affected the way women make art? Art critic and feminist Luey Lippard points cout that “Every person's experience is different from every other person's. Artis individual. Itis still possible, however, to generalize about it. Black ‘experience is different from white. Poor is different from rich. Child’s artis different from adult's. And women’s is different from men’s.” ‘Sex is bound to be a factor in women's work precisely because women have been sex objects and fare much more aware of their bodies then men. ‘Sexual or biological identity is, of course, not the only factor in women’s art. Isthere an art unique to women? If so, what makes these distinctions? Inher book, From the Center, Lucy Lippard states: “There are aspects of women's art that are {inaccessible to men and these aspects arise from ‘the fact that women’s political, biological and social ‘experience is different from that of a man.” Certain clements are found far more often in the work of ‘women than that of men. Examples would be use of. primary focus (circular or oval), iomorphic forms, sexual imagery such as eggs, spheres, domes ‘and bores, tactile or sensuous surfaces and forms, ‘associative fragmentation, obsessive line and Aetail, veiled strata and autobiographical empha- sis. Although these observations are a generality, the autobiographical aspect is specific to many ‘women’s art Is this common imagery the product of social conditioning or something deeper? Is it perhaps, the reeult of a conscious awareness of one’s exper ‘ence as a woman? It must be! ‘Often, blatantly female art becomes redefined as a women’s work matures and gains a broader audience. ‘The former images become subtle variations or are disearded completely. Frequently, ‘women who are newly introduced to the feminist, perspective move from a neutralized to an overt. contact with their own experience. “My art has no gender” is a common state- ‘ment, Certainly, art has no gender; but artists do. ‘There is resistance amongst women to be identified with other women artists, a product of years of rebellion against derogatory connotations of the label “feminine”. To be “one of the boys" was to be ‘accepted. Paint like a man, Yet itis an accepted perception that “male artists have more of the woman in them than some other men in other professions!” observes art historian Linda Nochlin ‘The women’s movement made it possible to stop feeling inferior. This change of attitude has not been overnight. We are recognizing that ‘emphases on female experience are positive, not negative, characteristics. Lippard notes,"To deny one’s sex isto deny a large part of where art comes from. ‘To make important or even communicable art requires a strong sense of source and self on one yhand and a strong sense of audience and communi. cation on the other.” Society has not yet changed a great deal for women in the eighties, so we are seeing a mixture of what women really want to do and what they think they should do. “The most convincing, women’s art,” however, states Lippard “is very personal, and being very personal finds a system of is own? Margaret Bootsma Ta Iwas sitting at my desk dreaming I was not sitting at my desk when I was not I was falling falling falling dragged down towards the floor by ‘some strong fingered gravity that did not stop at own but pulled me deep into the conerete oh a ‘g00d four inches so I could hear nothing ears ‘imbedded no but wait could hear something I could hear the walls talking in that slow, pulsing ‘oie they use so full of asbestos, grit, murdered ‘mice, and only dead flaked skin is there of sts- dents: no memories of who was there or why they ‘cared or who cried wolfraise/access/solidarity/no ‘more fluorocarbons/deadlines emotional angst or lewd words in the washrooms, used condoms behind the toilets, someone's lost their pendant, someone's lost their mind, no none of that just some ‘of thuds and slams and whines and generation clocks ticking like the conerete has a memory of before it was alive when bits were in the earth and ‘buzzed around its head and the building, pretends itis afly with oh so many eyes and buzzed and twitched and cleans its fect but so fast or slow you cannot see like a giant fly like a hairy bug like nothing you ever dreamed comes licking at ‘my ears 10,000 cold proboscis tongues come and lick my ears and I am calmed like some large Inrvae head warmed by the stone and jump up 60 pounds of concrete heavy around my eyes I walk own halls and hear me roar my weight is huge and Iam here to tell you all the building is on my side my chip is my shoulder and you are outclassed or out of class for I have the floor my god Tam the floor hear me roar as you walk all over me. Ann Marie Fleming ‘A The both havo rend the ook that "ema for anjone who wants to pecead nbc” Somnus eer, ary.