Saturday, 7 January 2017

Linda Nochlin Reader

Linda Nochlin wants feminism to be a way of life, not a course or institutional study option.  She wants a feminist critique of art, not a celebration of women artists and their work, or token women inserted into the canon of art history.

Maura Reilly has a concern that single sexed exhibitions run the risk of ghettoisation thereby creating the segregation that they aim to challenge.  Nochlin is unconcerned by this as all special interest groups can have their time of attention.  What is important is that these shows should be intelligently curated, bringing out new ideas in connection with familiar work.

Nochlin has taken a revisionist approach to art history.  She has critically reviewed canonical works by male artists but has taken a gendered viewpoint and pointed out significations in works previously interpreted from a male framing.  She recommends that modern day feminists develop a revisionist art history to re-evaluate and draw conclusions about gender representation.

Another way to bring feminist attitudes to art work are to accept there is no one 'female style'.  There is no key imagery or pattern/decoration that essentialist feminists thought was required.  Diverse media, genres, and styles, mark women's artwork in the 21st century.

Injustice against women artists has been fought (like the Guerrilla Girls) by publicising the prices paid to women as opposed to women artists.  However Nochlin believes the most effective way to combat injustice is "through thought, through the pursuit of truth, and through the constant questions and piercing through of our so-called 'natural assumptions'" - to attack it intellectually.

Nochlin believe that patriarchal values are making a comeback - as always in times of war and stress, but it does not mean women have to take on the typical role of victim or supporter.  Therefore feminists need to create an art world where robust qualities and messages, rather than high prices are the measure for both men and women artists.   pp3-40

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