Women in Art

Your goal is to educate the class on the topic of women in art. You have been provided with some historical background information, but you may use whatever methods or sources you choose--such as initiating a discussion, sharing and discussing a short story or newspaper article, etc.--as long as there are no animal sacrifices, and you respect everyone’s beliefs and privacy.

Your "source" for this presentation is an excerpt from Whitney Chadwick’s Women, Art, and Society. In your presentation you should go beyond the journal assignment and develop a definition of art. This may consist of dividing different types of art into categories. You should know that art has typically (and traditionally) been defined as those classic studies, like painting and sculpture which require intense training and background education, in addition to talent. Some modern feminists have challenged that definition, asserting that there are other types of art, as well--such as quilting, etc.. You might do a quick study of male- vs. female-artists, especially where they have picked the same subjects of art. How have they depicted those subjects differently? (Dana Collins, one of IVCC’s art instructors might be able to help you there). You might find a few examples of famous art work, and try to identify how m=women are depicted by the artists (and if there is a difference in quality of depictions based on male or female artists). What generalities can you share with the class based on your findings?

At the conclusion of the seminar, explain to the class what you’ve concluded about the nature of art. Do women create it differently than men? How does society influence people’s ideas about what art is? Is art ever used to keep people (men and women) functioning in their traditional roles?