Contemporary Women Artist

Many Contemporary artist left a mark in the present movement of feminism. Women have had to work really hard to be where they are at in the art world. During the early years of art, women were never considered to be artist in a male-dominated society. Women have had to fight all of the stereotypes and the social restriction to be able to present their artistic achievements. They have had to show the male population that they can also draw, sculpt, and perform, just like they can. Women have learned to challenge the male gaze and create the female gaze. These are only five of the many contemporary artist that are still present.
Judy Chicago

Judy Chicago, The Dinner Party, 1974

Judy Chicago was one of the contemporary artist who was one of the first pioneer of the feminist art movement of the 1970's. This movement formed the foundation of the reflection of women lives and their contemporary works as artist. It called attention to the women's roles as artist, and it also questioned the male-dominated power. Women became a significant challenge to modernism. Judy's artwork reflects her interest on female subject through her artwork. One of  Judy's most famous art work was The Dinner Party (1974). Through this extraordinary, huge piece of artwork, Judy celebrates the female achievements throughout history. Scandalizing her audience with the vaginal imagery used to represent each of the forty females who have made a significant mark on the women's history of America. This memorial installation celebrates the forgotten achievement of the women's mark on history. Judy embraced her artistic female vision in many ways; not only in her art work, but also through her daily life experience.
Doris Salcedo

Doris Salcedo, Untitled, 1990

Doris Salcedo was another contemporary artist that focused on abstract painting.She was a Latin women from Colombia who earned a BFA at Universidad de Bogotá Jorge Tadeo Lozano (1980) and a MA at New York University (1984).  She was always made fun of because of her accent when she first started working as an artist. That never stopped her from becoming a radical female artist. Salcedo's artwork embodies the victim of violence and the dis-empowered of the Third World. Her work is abstract and open to interpretation. Her work concertizes absences, the gap between dis-empowered and powerful, and also oppression. Salcedo also uses her work to serve as testimonies of the victims of oppression and perpetrators. Doris Salcedo says that her work reflects "the victim of the senseless and the brutal act."
Shirin Neshat

Sherin Neshat, Turbulent, 1998

Shirin Neshat is an islamic artist. She came to America via her father, and when she came to America she decided to stay in New York. Most of her work resembles her culture back in Islam. Shirin Neshat would always say "you can take a girl out of Islam, but you can't take Islam out of a girl".Her most famous work is called Turbulent, which is a two-channel video installation in which two projectors represent a male and a female. The male artist is singing to a crowd of men and once he stares at the women singer, the women starts to sing a certain kind of scream. This scream represents a type of freedom that a women reaches, how just like men, women can become rebellious and unpredictable in society.
Ghada Amer

Ghada Amer, Eight Women in Black and White, 2004

Ghada Amer is a contemporary Egyptian artist. She is best known for her erotic embroidery which resemble social issue. Some social issues deal with sexuality, female identity, and her Islamic culture. Eight Women in Black and White 2004  is a painting of eight women that refuse to wear the acquire islamic clothing. Amer uses pornographic images as a way to violate conventions of femininity. Her art work is a strategy that she uses to resolve the dis-constructive approaches to feminism. She also portrays her conclusion to the Islamic fundamentalism and growing ideologies of feminism.
Yoko Ono

Yoko Ono, Cut Piece, 1964

Yoko Ono is a contemporary artist who illustrated her art work through performance. Well before her partnership with John Lennon, Yoko Ono was a pioneer in performance art . Additionally many of her art work includes instruction. She was a radical women who did not believe that art should be demonstrated only on material objects. Her performance called Cut Piece was one of her most famous performance. She sat in the stage with a scissor next to her and invited her audience to come up and cut pieces of her clothes off. Through this she wants to show how the female body is subjective.

-Arleni Liriano
Work Cited

Chadwick, Whitney. Women, Art, and Society. 4th ed. New York, N.Y.: Thames and Hudson, 1990. Print.

Brooklyn Museum-Ceramic Vulvas FTW!

Selfie, Taken by Partner
Titled: Laughter is the best pose

Walking into a room full of plated vulva art to commemorate female artists, what a dream. I, unfortunately, was not able to make it to the Brooklyn Museum the day the whole class went. However, making it to Brooklyn the following week, on a Sunday with the 70-degree weather was well worth the wait. Anticipating Judy Chicago’s piece, The Dinner Party, I indulged in more doughnuts then I probably should have and Brooklyn’s finest cappuccinos. It was only right given the weather…and the 10+ doughnut shops within a 10 miles radius of the Brooklyn Museum. Once I actually arrived at the Brooklyn Museum with a tummy full of sugary dough and grade-A caffeine, I was more than excited to view The Dinner Party and all its glory. I dragged my boyfriend straight to the 3^rd floor, bypassing all the other amazing art I would give myself a chance to see once my assignment was complete. I imagined myself seeing The Dinner Party, checking off my to-do list and rushing out to fill myself up with even more doughy regrets. However, upon arriving the 3^rd floor and entering the Sackler Center, I became more interested in the art and less interested in the next time I could eat. I knew I would give myself a chance to really absorb all the incredible pieces created by women so I headed straight for The Dinner Party.

As I moved from piece to piece, woman to woman, and artist to artist, I had chills. You can’t really appreciate the amount of work that went into this piece until you actually see it. I tried to take pictures of my favorite pieces but found myself taking pictures of all of them. They were all special in their own ways because they represented real women or female figures making real strides in history through their simple existence, gaining the recognition and respect they deserve. Encompassing the true badassery of what it means to be a woman. I sorted through the women artists whose names I recognize such as Christine de Pisan, Hildegard of Bingen, Georgia O’ Keefe, etc., I tried my best to narrow down my favorite pieces. I then decided that I needed to narrow down the pieces that spoke to me the most. 

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Kali was the first piece I was truly mesmerized by. In the handy-dandy booklet, they offer which gives insight into each piece stated, 'Manifestation of the Hindu mother-goddess; her powers are associated with destruction as well as creation and restoration.' It reminded me of a phrase my mother always said to me when I was younger...and even today, "I brought you into this world and I can take you out." Lovely, I know. The purple of this piece was rich and complimented the iridescent accents of the tabling. Also, the purple flame like design surrounding the name looked pretty cool too.

Judy Chicago (American, b. 1939). The Dinner Party (Kali place setting), 1974–79. Mixed media: ceramic, porcelain, textile. Brooklyn Museum

The next piece that really stood out to me was Sophia. As you can see I have a thing for mythical figures. In the booklet I used to supplement the experience read, 'The highest form of feminine wisdom, representing the transformation of earthly female power into a purely spiritual dimension.' The element of nature really drew my attention to this piece. The use of color was subtle yet vibrant.

Judy Chicago (American, b. 1939). The Dinner Party (Sophia place setting), 1974–79. Mixed media: ceramic, porcelain, textile. Brooklyn Museum

My final favorite was Petronilla de Meath. First of all, Petronila is my mother's name and seeing this piece I felt I could see my mother's fiery personality...with the help of the flame of course. Then I read the short description of the piece in the booklet. It stated, 'Burned as a witch in Ireland, she is a symbol of the terrible persecution of women that occurred from the thirteenth to the seventeenth century.' Being burned as a witch isn't the beginning of any happy or sad story but this piece spoke to the bolder side of womanhood through the rich and deep colors. I'm also part Irish so it created a connection not only to my mother and to being a woman, but to my culture as well

Judy Chicago (American, b. 1939). The Dinner Party (Petronilla de Meath place setting), 1974–79. Mixed media: ceramic, porcelain, textile. Brooklyn Museum

All the pieces I saw that day were magnificent. It makes sense why so many people went into the creation of this work. I plan on returning soon to see what I may have missed during my first visit. I believe similarly to reading a book, when left and returned to, the eye and mind see something it did not before. I was happy to have the knowledge about many of the women artists and figures included in this piece because it enhanced the experience. The Dinner Party made me proud to be a woman. 

5 Contemporary Women

Women artist of today have had so many different barriers in place that have
made it difficult for them to promote their work. Lack of promotion leads to a lack of representation.
While women have been in the art world for centuries it has been difficult for them to be known for work
outside of their womanhood. Artist like Adrian Piper,Yoko Ono,Kara Walker,Danielle Ridley and Mickalene Thomas.
Each one of these women is a woman of color,whose work is dedicated to examining race and gender.
These women are still creating art today and are from different time periods. Whit Yoko Ono’s work
beginning in the 1960’, Piper’s in the 80’s, Walker in the 90’s, Thomas early 00’s Ridley 2016.
Their work is has similar themes yet is extremely different.

Adrian Piper’s work literally defies space, work like cornered redefine the space that the audience shares
with the artist. In Piper’s video Cornered she controls the space of the gallery, propping a t.v. for display as
she talks directly to the audience. Piper is not afraid to confront the issue regarding race in the United States.
Using her identity as a passing black woman she confronts the issues in regards to how we perceptually
understand race. Refusing to allow the world to simply define African- Americans and reshaping the literal
image of what the world expects perceptually of blackness. Piper is not afraid of doing this simply in the
Gallery but she also used her art in her everyday life. Handing out what she calls her calling card.
The card tells people that she is black and is present in an attempt to make many uncomfortable who are
afraid of being around blacks. Overall her work refuses the racist ideologies of the world and centers black-
ness as the discussion.

Adrian Piper My Calling (card) 1986

Adrian Piper Cornered 1988

Yoko Ono is known for her performance art. Ono is also famous for her political protest pieces.
Ono uses her work to tell the truth about the world as it continues to evolve into a war machine.
Using music as another outlet to express her message.  Ono’s most known piece premiered in front of an
audience in 1964. Where Ono allowed audience members to cut away at her clothing. Using her literal
body as a part of the performance. Ono takes the art away from the canvas and shows the world her
literal flesh. By doing so she challenges the patriarchal standards that have been used to bind women’s
bodies to a certain appearance. Ono is unique in the sense that she centers the body as the art. With her
approach of healing and meditation, she is known for peaceful and tranquil approaches to the world.
Ono has been criticized for her feminist politics but has continued her work regardless of the backlash that
she has received.

Yoko Ono music video

Cut Piece 1964

Bad Dancer 2013

Kara Walker is known for her work with Shadow like images. Using faceless black silhouettes to display
powerful messages. Walkers use of shadows can be for numerous reasons. Refusing to put a face to the
black silhouette has a larger meaning. As the images sge uses are often telling a story that can only be i
nterpreted by the viewers. One of Walkers most famous pieces of work was her Sugar Sphinx.
The Sphinx was created out of sugar in the Dominos sugar factory. Where the sugar sphinx was created.
The Sphinx has received both negative and positive criticism. Using the stereotypical image of
Aunt Jemima with the scarf tied around the forehead it is clear that the Sphinx is a representation of the
“Mammy”. Many think the work was problematic because of the audience’s reaction to the piece.
Some recordings showed how viewers ridiculed and laughed at the Sphinx.
Many believe these reactions are problematic to the purpose of the art.

Spinhx Reactions

Danielle Ridley is a black local Florida artist who sells her work on etsy. Using sharpies are her primary tool
of choose. Her art is far from simple despite the simple tools she uses. She plays with concepts of
afro-futurism. Using outer space and alien like features on her black subjects. Taking them from the
present to the future. Ridley is also known for her ability to counteract beauty standards.
Utilizing a variety of skin tones and sizes of subjects. Showing the unlimited possibilities of black bodies.
While also fighting abelist notions of the world. Many of Ridley’s subject’s are disabled and not viewed
beautiful by society. Ridley refuses the norms of the world in a sense recreating her own through her
art work. Even though she uses sharpies her work has the ability to leap off of the page.
Using vibrant colors and stars and shapes to show something very out of this world. Ridley Gallery

Frida of Dias De Los Muertos Poster 2018

Green Butterfly Goddess 2017

Galaxy Hair 2018

Mickalene Thomas is known for her display of the black female body.
Using literal images and recreations Thomas reappriates old European art and recreates it with a black
subject. Redefining the images that are present in the art world. Thomas is known for working outside of
the box. Her uses of acrylic,rhinestone and photography make her work stand out. Thomas is in a sense
a culture jammer as she takes past events and re conceptualized them for the present while adding black
people to the equation. She is also known for her mixed media collages where she takes photos and other
images and combines them to make one image. Thomas is also known for her photography sometimes
using naked images of black women. Thomas also shows queer love and aesthetics through her work.
Displaying the love and relationships of queer black women.

MICKALENE THOMAS
Mama Bush: (Your love keeps lifting me) higher and higher, 2009
rhinestone, acrylic and enamel on panel

MICKALENE THOMAS
Left Behind, 2010
mixed media collage

MICKALENE THOMAS
Show Me What You Got, 2011
mixed media collage

Mickalene Gallery

Overall these women are all phenomenal and have contributed tremendously to the art world.

Five contemporary women artists

Contemporary art is the beauty of the present because it explores every field and illustration of art that allows the artist to express relevant issues to today's society not only through paint but through photograph, performances, sculpture and video art.  During modernism it was believed that the highest form of art was painting, however, through post-modernism and contemporary art we continue to discredit such beliefs by seeing successful forms of art expression in today's culture. I have chosen these five contemporary women because I believe their work describes the important issues of today's society that have persisted such as sexism, racism, gender, and sexual violence. Not only are they portraying these issues, but they are also trying to elicit change and reaction toward it.  Moreover, their artistic mechanisms are unique and teach us that art can be performed in many ways. 

Faith Ringgold, born in 1930

Faith Ringgold painting, photograph by Anthony Barboza/getty images

Faith Ringgold, The wedding: Lover's quilt No.1 1986

Faith Ringgold's work is based on the traditional craft of quilt making, in an interview, "Quilting as an Art Form", she explains her motivations to use quilt as her main art work, the fact that quilt making has slaves roots and she has the ability to transform it into something beautiful with a message is what gives her work the most meaning. In her work she tells the story of her black community and the challenges faced because of racism. She addresses prejudice through political statements, she highlights ethnic tension and provides an insight into how african american culture is perceived by white americans and vice versa. For instance, in "The Wedding: Lovers' quilt No. 1, 1986", she addresses the issues of racism and prejudice  in a message that portrays the idea that celebrations such as weddings are not only worthy of "whiteness" but also to african american culture. She makes a catalog of faces of real people for the viewer to understand the humanity of them. She also aims to protest and express the challenges faced by black families, their identity and the stereotypes.

Yoko Ono, born in 1933

Yoko Ono, Cut Piece, 1964.

Before meeting John Lenon, Yoko Ono was already becoming a pioneer in performance art and thus recognized for her famous work. She often faced the challenges of remaining famous for being a quality artist rather than the partner of a famous rock star, the media invasion was also a challenge for her as it would prevent her from working on her art. She rejected the idea of modernism, which insisted that the highest form of art had to be materialized, hence why her art style is unique since is is based on live performance. Her art was based on scripts, or instructions to be followed by her as a performer and by the audience. Yoko Ono's uniqueness in art is that she integrated the audience physically to complete her performance artwork and it gave it a much deeper meaning. One of her most famous work is "Cut piece, 1964" presented at the Sogetsu Art Center, Tokyo, where she invited the audience to physical engage in the performance by cutting pieces of her clothing using scissors until only her underwear was left. Yoko Ono delivered a strong an powerful message trough this performance, her message was about the sexual violence of unveiling the woman's body, gender and the outcomes when we allow such things to happen in public spectacle. 

Barbara Kruger, born in 1945

Barbara Kruger

Barbara's style of art focuses on bringing forward the problems faced in modern society especially those that challenge women the most, such as gender and culture.  Her work consists of cropped pictures/digital media of women with text as captions delivering a message, in addition, it leans more toward propagandistic illustration. Through her work she portrays the problems in society such as that of the male gaze and having a mind of your own. The key to her art is to induce a change in the viewer as a reaction to what they are seeing. One of her works, "Untitled (Your body is a battleground) (1989)", Kruger positions the female face split into two, presumably projecting positive and negative sides expressing the constant fight between good and evil in a female's body.

Her message addresses the struggles of women against male gaze and the fights faced to be the owner of your own body.

Barbara Kruger, Untitled (Your body is a battle ground) (1989)

Adrian Piper, born in 1948

Adrian Piper in Berlin, 2005

Adrian Piper focuses on addressing the issue of racism, class, and gender, her style or performance is also unique in the sense that she uses video tapes rather than traditional painting. However, this allows us to engage with the audience directly to induce a raise in awareness and  consciousness. Her goal is to confront the audience to reveal racist attitudes and behaviors which may be hidden or implicitly expressed. In "Cornered, 1988", Piper uses a video tape to establish conversation between her and the audience. The audience is challenged by her, it draws the viewer's attention to his/her own biases and brings to surface all their emotions.

Adrian Piper, Cornered, 1988

Mickalene Thomas, born in 1971

Mickalene Thomas

Mickalene Thomas' work is characterized by colorful portraits using nontraditional mechanisms of painting such as glitter, stones etc. Her work is focused on the beauty of African American women who has been poorly represented in the history of art, and if they were portrayed, it has been through stereotypes and subservient and inferior roles. Her work portrays african american women as powerful, classy, and feminine. One of her works, "A little taste outside of love, 2007", is a very interesting painting because it has the native of a nude,  but its message is different from what we used to see in the past. The general female nudes in past art have always carried a meaning of submissiveness and have faced the challenges of heavy male gaze, which gave the idea that women were there for the purpose to please the male viewer. However, Mickalene Thomas' work reflects the opposite, although it is a nude, there are many other details that make it special. It is a black woman, in the past majority of nudes were form white women, the female in this work is painted in a beautiful decorated background which she has decided to be in. The general nudes always portrayed women in nature-like environment because it associated women with nature. Nevertheless, this work gives the essence to the viewer that the female painted has established the desire to be in that place because it is own to her identity. As opposed to the usual nudes, "A little taste outside of love" portrays a female who is not submissive, but rather it has the essence of a powerful and confident woman who has a mind of her own.

Mickalene Thomas, A little taste outside of love, 2007

“Yoko Ono Biography, Art, and Analysis of Works.” The Art Story, www.theartstory.org/artist-ono-yoko.htm.

“Barbara Kruger Biography, Art, and Analysis of Works.” The Art Story, www.theartstory.org/artist-kruger-barbara-artworks.htm#pnt_2.

“Fine Art Focus: Mickalene Thomas.” Design Sponge, www.designsponge.com/2015/09/fine-art-focus-mickalene-thomas.html.

“Faith Ringgold Biography, Art, and Analysis of Works.” The Art Story, www.theartstory.org/artist-ringgold-faith-artworks.htm.

Adrian Piper: A Canvas of Concerns -- Race, Racism and Class, 24 Dec. 1999, www.asu.edu/cfa/wwwcourses/art/SOACore/piper-art-review.html.

Chadwick, Whitney. Women, Art, and Society. 4th ed. New York, N.Y.: Thames and Hudson, 1990. Print.

5 Women Artists from Newark

Newark, nicknamed “Brick City,” has given tremendous space to cultivate education such that one may find several institutions within ten blocks - such schools include Rutgers University, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Essex County College, New Jersey Medical School, North Star Academy, Science Park High School, American History High School, Newark Tech High School, and Arts High School (opened in 1931 and was the first high school in the United States specializing in Visual Arts). Besides being one of New York City’s sisters, New Jersey’s largest metropolitan city is filled with hidden treasures such as having the largest Cherry Blossom collection at Branch Brook park, hosting the prominent Dodge Poetry Festival, and being home to the Newark Museum. One overlooked aspect from this great city are the women artists coming from this city, and they cannot be ignored much longer. 

Someone who passes by McCarter Highway on a regular basis may have been shocked to see the

"Invest in Our Youth" by Akintola Hanif, 2017

once barren walls of the Amtrack retention area separating East Newark from the highway be filled with colorful murals. The intersection at Pennington St and McCarter Highway has the words “Invest in Our Youth” with an image of an elated African American boy and similar joyful images of an African American family; this particular mural was done by a male artist Akintola Hanif. Nonetheless, if one were to drive onto McCarter Highway, one would realize that these beautiful works are continuous and are signed by different artists. Newark is now home to longest murals in the East Coast. Titled “Gateways to Newark: Portraits,” this mural stretches 1.39 miles (25 football fields). “Local curator Rebecca Jampol chose the 18 artists who painted Portraits,” 10 of whom are from Newark, were asked to illustrate something related to Newark’s culture and heritage (Gorce 2017). These artists worked from 8:00 PM to 5:00 AM for 13 days in May through the rain and all while their canvases were lit by thirty-five stadium lights. The final product was washed with anti-graffiti sealant to protect it.

"Newark Portal Flow" by Gera and Werc, 2017

“Hooded Warbler" by Gera Lozano, 2017

One of the artists who worked on this was Gera Lozano along with another artist named Werc. Lozano was raised in Newark but currently

resides in Brooklyn; her grammar school is two blocks away from where the mural is created (Gorce 2017). Lozano’s mural titled “Newark Portal Flow” illustrates Newark’s Lady Liberty – not to be confused with Statue of Liberty. Newark’s Lady Liberty “represents the earth, the spirit of flight and its creatures, like the cranes in the Passaic River” (Gorce 2017). The mural symbolizes “…the mind and the industries that shaped the city” and “the lion in the center of the design is an homage to the

architectural ornaments of Penn Station” (Gorce 2017).

Lozano’s other works include murals found in other inner-cities. Her work primarily features striking patterns and designs – several of which feature birds and flowers. Even though her work does not appear to be driven by political or social justice stance, according to Lozano, her artwork is symbolic and the birds and flowers depicted in her murals transcends what meets the eye. For instance, Lozano shares that her pieces like “Hooded Warbler,” “represent and celebrate the natural fauna and flora of the local area where the mural lives…they invoke freedom, focus, and having a higher perspective” (Audubon 2017).

“42 Dresses” by Adrienne Wheeler, 2017

"Lembranca/Resistencia-Memory/Resistance"

by Adrienne Wheeler, 2011

Another female artist who worked on the “Gateways to Newark: Portraits” is Adrienne Wheeler. Her work is titled “42 Dresses” and features white dresses side by side against a navy blue background. Wheeler shared with reporter Tammy Gorce that the mural holds sentimental values for her. Behind the mural, there are two streets – one of which Wheeler’s paternal grandparents were born and later married in Newark in 1887. The dress from her “mother’s grammar-school graduation in 1942 [inspired her]…[her] mother was from Georgia, but she moved to Newark in 1938 as part of the Great Migration; the dress, in its mural form, is now right under the very railroad tracks she traveled to get here” (Gorce 2017). In contrast to Lozano, Wheeler’s work revolves more around her race and her origins; the source of the dress and her reasoning for choosing the dress for this mural hints at that. In 2011, Wheeler hosted an one-woman show in Orbit One Gallery (second floor of the Paul Robeson Galleries, Campus Center). Her show was titled "Lembranca/Resistencia-Memory/Resistance" and revolved around her struggles against oppression and an attempt to connect with her ancestral African spiritual practice (Selman 2011).

“Untitled (Your Gaze Hits the Side of My Face)”

by Barbara Kruger, 1981

Moving on to the third female artist who was born in Newark to a working class family and a product of Newark Public Schools (Hyman 764), Barbara Kruger is a woman who broke barriers set for her – and has crashed that hypothetical glass ceiling. Verging on the integration of Postmodernism and feminist thought (Chadwick 385), Kruger’s works take on the male gaze as she uses the texts that accompany her “blown-up, severely cropped photographs of women” (Chadwick 382) to shift the focus so that the individual displayed on her work may be viewed as an individual, and thus destabilizing the view “of women as object[s]” (Chadwick 382). One of her well-known artwork is the “Untitled (Your Gaze Hits the Side of My Face)” from 1981. The word “gaze” is a very explicit nod to the male gaze, and use of this word on the piece highlights – and places shame to an extent – on the act of “gazing” at another human being and viewing her as an object.

Kruger also works with other aspects of feminist artwork besides

"Untitled (Pro-life for the unborn, Pro-death
for the born) by Barbara Kruger, 2000

the male gaze. One example of this would be the ongoing debate on abortion in America and her take on it. Published in 2000, there is an image of George W. Bush with the words “Pro-life for the unborn, Pro-death for the born.” Eight words are sufficient to understand the hypocrisy Kruger is pointing out. Bush’s argument that he does not support abortion (and is not willing to give women the right to decide what to do with their own bodies) because he values life seems contradictory as he is a supporter of capital punishment. Kruger’s work also addresses other issues faced by society today such as the concept of consumerism. Her piece from 2007 titled “Face It” has these words plastered on an image of material with the words “[t]his fantastic outfit is ridiculously overpriced.” Kruger’s work illustrates the power of words whether it be spoken or read and its impact are indisputable; she is able to use them to address topics which concern her whether it be the male gaze, abortion, or consumerism.

“OVER, the rainbow” by Chakaia Booker, 2012

Looking into artists involved in sculpture-making from Newark, Chakaia Booker stands out. She attended Rutgers University and was a recipient of Guggenheim Fellowship of Creative Arts. She started making large outdoor sculptures in the early 1990s. Booker “fuses ecological concerns with explorations of racial and economic difference, globalization, and gender by recycling discarded tires into complex assemblages” (NMWA). According to the National Museum of Women in the Arts (NMWA), Booker uses discarded tires in her work as references for industrialization, consumer culture, and environmental concerns. Her sculpture from 2012 titled “OVER, the rainbow” features tires stacked on empty milk gallons. “Booker slices, twists, weaves, and rivets [the tires] into radically new forms and textures [as] the varied tones of the rubber parallels human diversity, while the tire treads suggest images as varied as African scarification and textile designs” (NMWA). Akin to Wheeler, Booker also introspects into her roots for her artwork, and a time period like that of postmodernism gives room for that to occur.

Last but not least, Judith Bernstein was also born in Newark. According to the Paul Kasmin Gallery,

“Money Shot – Green” by Judith Bernstein, 2016

Bernstein “surged into art world prominence in the early 1970s with her monumental charcoal drawings of penis-screw hybrids.” One of Bernstein’s work from 2016 titled “Money Shot – Green” was very relevant to the presidential election happening that year. Trump’s name is placed on the slot machine  between two Nazi symbols. Next to the slot machine appears to be a phallic symbol of perhaps a penis from which the word “shot” is being shot out. She has made multiple other paintings related to Trump in a negative light and she used her artwork to serve as a medium to express her point. Something that Bernstein has in common with the previous four female artists is that they all used their work to address topics which concerned them, and her artworks are reactive to activities around her.

This sums up the five female artists from Newark! Nonetheless, there are many more female artists from Newark – some of whom were not born here but spent a substantial amount of their life here. Artists like these, especially those who are active in Newark such as Lozano and Wheeler, adds to the rich culture of Newark and allows for the greatness of Newark to flourish.

By Maisha Manzoor 

Citations:

Audubon. “Hooded Warbler by GERALUZ.” Audubon, 25 Oct. 2017, 

            www.audubon.org/news/hooded-warbler-geraluz. 

Chadwick, Whitney. Women, Art, and Society. Langara College, 2016. 

Gorce, Tammy. “Newark Mural Showcases Brick City's True Colors.” New Jersey Monthly, 19 

Jan. 2017, njmonthly.com/articles/arts-entertainment/newark-mural-showcases-city-true-colors/.

Hyman, Paula E., Moore, Beborah Dash. 1998. Jewish Women in America. An Historical 

Encyclopedia. New York, NY: Routledge. Sponsored by The American Jewish Historical Society.

NMWA. “National Museum of Women in the Arts.” Chakaia Booker | National Museum of 

Women in the Arts, nmwa.org/explore/artist-profiles/chakaia-booker.

Selman, Carol. “Adrienne Wheeler: Keeper Of The Flame.” Newark, NJ Patch, Patch, 31 Dec. 

2011, patch.com/new-jersey/newarknj/adrienne-wheeler-keeper-of-the-flame.