Generations of Feminist Art (a review and a call to task)

There certainly is a buzz around feminist art, at least for those of us listening for it, with the opening of the Elizabeth A. Sackler Center for Feminist Art at the Brooklyn Museum. This is underlined by the fact that this fantastic borough has also seen two other gallery shows focused around feminist art in the past month. Now, two is not many in the landscape of galleries, but I think that looking at them critically can make the point that feminist art is not a faddish thing that gets a reworking every 20 years or so, but a continuous movement of thinking about and creating artwork that deserves and demands way more attention than it gets and has gotten.

Let's start with "Women's Work: Homage to Feminist Art" a show that is still on view through May 13 at Tabla Rasa Gallery in Sunset Park, Brooklyn. The show was curated by venerable art critic Cindy Nemser. Nemser curated this show as a response to "Global Feminisms," the opening exhibition in the Brooklyn Museum's Sackler Center for Feminist Art. Nemser is upset that Global Feminisms does not include artists born before 1960. That cut off was a conscious, though difficult, decision by the curators to highlight artwork that could be classified as being part of the 3rd wave of feminism. Nemser wrote a scathing review and called the show "ageist." Might I point out that in our "ageist" society that women in their 40's are not considered "young" and that second wave feminist voices (like Nemser's) are still the ones being heard overwhelmingly in media coverage of feminist art and issues (as opposed to younger feminists)? Might I also point out that The Dinner Party by Judy Chicago occupies most of the Sackler Center for Feminist Art, providing at thoroughly second wave counter point to Global Feminisms?

In any event, I was excited about the impressive list of artists included in "Women's Work," including Eleanor Antin, Hannah Wilke, Howardena Pindell (who's work is above), and Dottie Attie (below). This is also probably one of the only gallery shows ever I could walk to from my house. When I got there it was, unfortunately, what I expected: A room full of older, white people (which does not at all reflect the demographic of the neighborhood). The art work itself was skillfully done and full of interesting ideas, but the show did not feel coherent enough. The only consistent theme seemed to be the fact the artists were feminist (which is a fine enough theme, but it made the show feel a little disjointed). The standout pieces were Howadena Pindells homage to victims of police violence (a very politically relevent choice considering the recent shooting death of Sean Bell) and Dottie Attie's small, three part painting. More distressing was the bitter tone of the wall text which seemed to be more about Cindy Nemser herself and how the show was a counterpoint to Global Feminisms than the individual and collective accomplishments of the artists exhibited. This added to my suspicion that Nemer's feeling of second wave artists being "slighted" by Global Feminisms (which is a temporary exhibition) wasn't really about these collective accomplishments of these artists, but about her own career. I heard two women remark as they read the wall text "So much for sisterhood is powerful."

In addition, Nemser's wall text eluded to artists of an "emerging third wave." If I check my feminist history, I think we could chart the third wave as emerging in the late 1980's or early 1990's. As many anthologies and feminists would attest, third wave ideas are not exactly new news. I think this show has powerful potential, but it's too bad the artwork got over shadowed by the curator's personal bitterness.

Another show (sadly closed now) was Re:Generation: Emerging Women Artists curated by Joan Snyder and Molly Snyder-Fink that was shown at Smack Mellon in DUMBO and the Kentler International Drawing Space in Red Hook, Brooklyn. In contrast to "Women's Work" I had never heard of any the artists exhibited. The show was a little hit or miss, my favorite pieces being the two shown below (unfortunately I missed the part of the show at the Kentler Drawing Center). Though this show was curated by two prominent feminist artists, the show itself did not seem to have overstated feminist content or wall text. If I hadn't known who the curators were I would have felt like it was a gallery show like any other. However, I think the idea of a mother/daughter collaboration is a fantastic idea and would love to hear the two curators expound on their ideas further and hear about the process, because in true feminist style, I think that is just as important as the product.

I would like to see feminists not playing into the game of being pitted against each other, as the media has been doing a good job to fan these flames. I would like us all to work together to address the ageism that effects both older and younger women in our society and create dialogues and Museum and gallery shows that reflect these goals. Feminism is not a career goal, it is an approach, a movement, a pratice...