Theme: Woman’s Empowerment
1. Yoko Ono
Yoko Ono, a powerful and inspirational Japanese artist best known for her multitude and array of artworks including but not limited to visual arts and performance art. She was born in Tokyo, Japan in 1933, a time period in which many different art movements were beginning to arise within one movement that was Modern Art. Under Modern Art, such styles and groups emerged including Cubist art, Impressionism, and even Dada just to name a few. However, Yoko Ono took matters into her own hands and decided to influence the world in her development of Flexus Art and Conceptual Art often through Performance Art. She contributed an array of inspirational and conceptual works including her earliest, Cut Piece(1964) . Through these radical transformations of art, Yoko Ono transformed her artwork into an inspirational, international, and profound contribution to the art community. Yoko Ono herself portrayed herself through art in Cut Piece (1964)in which she sat still and quiet while allowing audience members to become products of the art. She instructed the audience to take part and in doing so, she was able to classify the audiences’ ability to comply with instruction. When the performance ended, Yoko Ono stated, “When I do the Cut Piece, I get into a trance, and so I don’t feel too frightened… We usually give something with a purpose but I wanted to see what they would take.”With every slight piece of clothing that was stripped from her body, Ono reluctantly surrendered herself and her body to the world in a form of give and take; Giving herself while watching others take what is not solely theirs. This piece is not only a piece of give and take but a piece that addresses culture, femininity, and class issues while also inspiring the world to come. Following the research and historical content behind Yoko Ono and her artwork, I further respect her more as a woman, individual and as an artist. I not only respect her more because she is a woman but because of her representation of women. In her earliest piece, Cut Piece, I was able to relate as a female of the world constantly taking things that are not always given to them.
In Ono’s case, she allowed herself to be vulnerable by giving her body and giving them the permission to take out of it what they chose. In my case and through personal experience, women in today’s world are often taken for granted or often made vulnerable without permission and this was Ono’s point to be taken from the artwork. I admire this piece because of her bravery and strength to reflect beauty and empowerment during a time in which it was hard. I am compelled to further delve into her history and the work that came after her or the work that came after her as a result of her.
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| Yoko Ono, Cut Piece, 1964 |
2. Suzanne Lacy
Suzanna Lacy, a student that took part in projects that involved in Feminism and the empowerment of women. However, Lacy took her projects a step-further than anyone else in doing what she felt she was called to do including her performance project, Three Weeks in May (1977). In this project, she paved the way to exhibit reported rapes in Los Angeles, California during a three-week exhibition. The word ‘rape’ was stamped several times across a large map to emphasize the political and much needed attention this issue needed. She allowed for several women impacted or inspired by the piece to take part in it, as it gave them the mental peace and satisfaction of getting involved.
Later, Lacy collaborated with feminist artist, Leslie Labowitz where they first staged, In Mourning and In Rage. This performance piece was both transformational and inspirational to many women all around the world as it presented a “funeral” from woman who were affected by sexual assault and murder victims allow women to express the pain and suffering they endured from an experience such as this. In “Body Issues: Feminist Artists of the 1970s”, they clearly state, “Lacy took complete control of her messaging and its public image. Though women discussed violence and victimhood in her work, they ultimately appeared powerful and potent to the lens.”
A few weeks prior to this assignment, I had done a presentation in regards to feministic empowerment and when I read her story and art, I was personally inspired by her work. As a victim of sexual violence, I admire any woman who has the courage to come forward in telling a story that is truly terrifying. While Suzanna Lacy may not have been a victim to sexual violence, she paved the way for other women to come forward and symbolized the courage needed to come forward. Such a topic as “rape” is not targeted or recognized enough in today’s world for a multitude of issues, however, it needs to begin being a targeted and recognized issue as it happens far too much. It is for women such as Suzanne Lacy and Leslie Labowitz that I am thankful for the many representations of art that are inspirational and transformational.
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| Suzanne Lacy and Leslie Labowitz, In Mourning and In Rage, 1977 |
3. Ana Mendieta
Ana Mendieta, a Cuban-American artist who was known for her performance art pieces as well as being a sculptor, painter, and video artist. She created artwork incorporated by the earth known famously known as her “earth-body” performances. In an article about Mendieta it states, “Mendieta used the earth as a site to address issues of displacement, impressing her body in various outdoor locations and recording its imprint in photographs and video.” Her pieces often incorporated the use of women’s bodies mostly nude allowing for a story to be told through the nature and impression of the body.
In 1973, Mendieta created a piece, Untitled (Rape Scene), which graphically shows the photograph of a woman who had been raped by showing her bent over a table with blood smeared over. This piece vividly and painfully shows the true story behind the sexual assault of an innocent woman. She created the piece to bring awareness to a woman who had been highly publicized due to her story and allowed her story to be visualized creating a mental imprint. In doing so, Mendieta brought awareness to sexual assault and although graphic and detailed allowed people to be aware of the truth that comes with the story. I truly respect her and am impressed by both woman’s courage to come forward as it is not easy; It was never easy.
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| Ana Mendieta, Untitled (Rape/Murder Scene), 1973 |
Theme: African American Race
4. Kara Walker
Kara Walker, an African American artist known for her black-and-white silhouettes representing scenes of slavery and violence. As an African American female in America, I have witnessed and undergone racial inequality that often goes unnoticed and untelevised. However, artists such as Walker portray pain, violence, inequality, and suffering through beautiful art pieces. One of her pieces that immediately caught my eye was A Subtlety, or the Marvelous Sugar Baby which although is not a black-and-white silhouette, is a large scale monument that symbolizes a black woman in the South. The large women carved in white is in the shape of sphinx but comprises the body of a large, black woman with voluptuous hips and breasts that accentuate her beautiful body. The word beauty truly defines this piece as she is truly beautiful, black is beautiful. The Marvelous Sugar Baby represents many symbolizations in one but overall, my take on this is beauty and purity. I admire a woman who is herself, natural and beautiful.
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| Kara Walker, A Subtlety or The Marvelous Sugar Baby, 2014 |
5. Faith Ringgold
Faith Ringgold, an African American artist born in New York City and worked to portray Civil Rights from a female perspective throughout her art. I admired that considerably as astounding because as a black woman during the times that Ringgold was alive it was hard to have a say as you were considered a double minority. Her best known works involve her work of making quilts that reveal a story including Dancing on the George Washington Bridge from 1988. This quilt is a beautiful array of color and floral patterns with a family of African Americans dancing and having a good time atop the George Washington Bridge. Ringgold expressed her many childhood moments through the quilts which reminisced on old happy times. I admire Faith Ringgold for portrayed African Americans in a way that symbolizes beauty and prosperity in a time of unrest. For that, I am grateful for her art.
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| Faith Ringgold, Dancing on the George Washington Bridge, 1988 |
Works Cited
“Ana Mendieta.” 45 Artworks, Bio & Shows on Artsy, www.artsy.net/artist/ana-mendieta.
“How Feminist Artists of the 1970s Used Art to Condemn Sexual Violence.” Google, Google, www.google.com/amp/s/www.artsy.net/article/artsy-editorial-body-issues-feminist-artists-1970s-art-condemn-sexual-violence/amp.
“Meet a Fabulous Fiber Artist: Faith Ringgold.” Suzy Quilts, 9 Aug. 2019, suzyquilts.com/faith-ringgold/.
Smith, Roberta. “Sugar? Sure, but Salted With Meaning.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 11 May 2014, www.nytimes.com/2014/05/12/arts/design/a-subtlety-or-the-marvelous-sugar-baby-at-the-domino-plant.html.
Tate. “'Untitled (Rape Scene)', Ana Mendieta, 1973.” Tate, 1 Jan. 1973, www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/mendieta-untitled-rape-scene-t13355.
“Three Weeks in May (1977).” SUZANNE LACY, www.suzannelacy.com/three-weeks-in-may/.
“Yoko Ono: MoMA.” The Museum of Modern Art, www.moma.org/artists/4410.
“Yoko Ono: One Woman Show.” The Museum of Modern Art, https://www.moma.org/audioS/playlist/15/373
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