Feminist art developed simultaneously with the feminist movement. Its origins can be traced back to the 1960s and the 2nd wave of feminism. Feminist art was inspired by the works of proto-feminist artists like Eva Hesse and Louise Bourgeois, whose pieces focused on topics of domesticity, the female body and the life of women. Feminist artists aimed to rewrite male-dominated art history and the tradition of seeing women as objects for male pleasure. Battle for gender equality and equal opportunities, led by the feminist art movement helped female artists gain grander recognition, in a male-dominated world of art.
The Early Days of Feminist Art
In the past, if a woman wanted to be taken seriously as an artist, she had to de-gender her work. If an artwork appeared to be made by a woman, it would be immediately considered less worthy than the work of her male counterpart. Therefore, women aimed to make their artworks gender-neutral, avoiding topics and themes specifically connected to womanhood.
However, feminist art embraced feminine topics, as well as, art genres typically associated with women (for example, textile). Yayoi Kusama’s Oven-Pan is…
