I still have not found anyone who is explaining Values of Women adequately. So far I have found the following data:
Feminist Art Theory: An Anthology 1968-2000, edited Hilary Robinson
Judy Chicago, Woman as Artist 1972, Everywoman, 2(7) (1972) pp24-25
Women are more likely to be accepted as artists if they emulate art by and for men. This is done by excluding any orientation to direct contact or feeling. To succeed they become more manly than men, or become a minor 'lady artist'. In my opinion, this reiterates the commercial workplace, where to be accepted, women had to be twice as good as men to gain any recognition, and would be labelled a ball buster or a lesbian in return.
Chicago says feminist women need to strongly associate with the female self, and its strength, power and creative energy - despite the consequence to "embrace the untouchable and love what is despised".
Pat Mainardi, A Feminine Sensibility?, 1972; Feminist Art Journal 1 (1), (1972) pp4, 25
Man can do the full gamut of art. The right wing of the women's art movement (in the USA) say truly female validity is analysed as portraying female anatomy (I think she was having a pop at Judy Chicago whose The Dinner Party was 39 plates depicting female vulvas).
However Mainardi says much feminist work at this time was analysed as minimalist (which is when the fashion for artwork was minimalism and analysis of feminist work commenced). She says the new realism for women just complied with male standards because it had
- something to sell
- was not available from a man, only a woman
- did not challenge standards as it needed appeal to the wants of the collectors (i.e. men) and be similar to what they were collecting (i.e. men's art)
- based on form, not content (i.e. like men's art).
This analysis is fundamentally flawed.
Feminist art is not feminine in its sensibilities. It is political propaganda - the first allegiance is to political ideology (the economic, political and social equality of women and men) - not the museum and gallery art world system. Talking about political art within art world limitations and audiences is absurd. Contemporary political art is outside the art world.
Judith Stein, For a truly Feminist Art, 1972, The Big News 1 (9) (1972), p3
Feminists need to consider the art making process and the system in which it exists.
'Liberated woman' is not a feminist. Liberated woman makes it in the man's world, and references are made to 'her' and 'me'. Feminism is a broad movement - sisterhood and marxism. It is not about a bigger piece of the male pie, but that all women and all people are able to define their own existence.
Feminist art is not about masterpieces and dialogues about oneself (this is what the male system is about), but about the feminist movement and building a feminist art system in a feminist society.
Laura Rabinovitz, Issues of Feminist Aesthetics: Judy Chicago and Joyce Wieland 1980.
Chicago Wieland
Set self up as role model Cultural activist
No space, time, money restrictions Exposed advertising symbols that preserve
Little refinement or crystallisation of ideas male power
Free labour from team/training experience Space, time, money commitments
Uncredited volunteers Female co-operative activity important
Perjorative to stuffed and 3D fabric work Used skilled women from craft fairs and
Didactic role of The Dinner Party paid with money from her grant.
Passive audience Named her team
Patriarchal religious symbols Celebrated craft and tactility
Simplistic themes Rigorous intellectualism
Lacks awareness its contradictions Redefined artistic creation to include craft
Ability for active audience participation.
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