During my visit at the Brooklyn Museum my perception on art has changed dramatically not only because it has been my first at a art museum but observing the art from the textbook or even the internet definitely does not do the work any justice. So having the ability to actually stand in front of the piece was a great opportunity because not only do you have the privilege to view the work up close and personal but you actually can view the texture and even the strokes of paint. Viewing pieces of art in personal versus glancing at it in a textbook really does have this effect in which really makes you gain this appreciation for the work. While exploring the museum I came across the works of Judy Chicago that seem to be of great significance, the piece was titled The Dinner Party. Judy Chicago is not only an artist but educator, author and feminist whose career now reached four decades. Chicago's “influence both within and beyond the art community is attested to by her inclusion in hundreds of publications throughout the world” (Brooklyn Museum). Her works have been exhibited throughout the United States and her books have been brought philosophers and readers through the world. Chicago’s piece The Dinner Party holds great significance when one truly takes a closer look and it is great to see in pictures but actually veining it in personal is breath taking.
As you may notice from the picture below the principal notion of
this dinner party being presented in a triangle is to symbolize equality. This
piece alone represents 1,038 women in history, 39 women are embodied by place
setting while the other 999 women are inscribed in the heritage floor where the
table rests. The piece is concept of triangular table split up into three
wings, each wing being 48 feet long. Yet it is much deeper in size as the first
wing symbolizes the primordial goddess also including the development of Judaism
and moves forward into early Greek societies and the Roman Empire. The second
half of the triangle represents “Hypatia’s” which describes woman’s power and
from here the second wind symbolizes Christianity through revolution and portrayal
of the fight for equal rights which is described in the shape of Chicago’s
work. The final wing inscribes to the American revolution, when suffrage and
the woman's art moment in which woman were starting to freely express their
creative expressions, which was represented by the last plate who was dedicated
to Georgia O’Keefe. Considering the type of impact O’Keeffe was on the art
world especially for women I am sure this was did on purpose.
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| The Dinner Party |
As we discussed in class Georgia O’Keeffe is not only one of the
most well-known female artist to have ever touched a paintbrush but to some as
known to be the foremother of the feminist movement. Study has shown that
O’Keeffe “worked in a discipline dominated by male artists, critics, gallery
owners and curators, who were critical of women artist” but even facing such
difficult obstacles she managed to obtain a success career (Brooklyn Museum).
Most of her work was inspired by her life experiences and because of these
experiences she received the Medal of Freedom award as well as the National
Medal Arts award. Unfortunately O’Keeffe’s eyesight became extremely bad and
forced her to stop painting but this did not stop her from doing what she loved
to do most and that is draw. Although O’Keeffe is no longer in the physical
form she played a tremendous role feminist movement and rediscovery of women’s
history.
As mentioned earlier in the text Georgia O’Keeffe is the last
place setting at The Dinner
Party and “her plate has the
most height, signifying her artistic liberation and her success as a female
artist” (Brooklyn Museum). Chicago uses O’Keeffe’s flower painting Black Iris
through The Dinner Party. Chicago’s The Dinner Party truly pays tribute to O’Keeffe’s
originality as well as her imagery within her paintings but most importantly
expresses her gratitude to the influence O’Keeffe had and still has feminist
artist.
Another artist whose work was also exhibited at the Brooklyn
Museum was also one of the few female artists to earn a seat at The Dinner Party. Chitra Ganesh
whose work is inspired by the Hindu Goddess Kail “Explores ideas of femininity,
empowerment, and multiplicity, Brooklyn-based artist Chitra Ganesh draws
inspiration from the Museum’s encyclopedic collection, including
representations of the goddess Kali, to create a site-specific multimedia
installation for the Herstory Gallery” (Brooklyn Museum). Of Course this
inspiration of Chiltra Ganeh had to obtain a seat at this party as well. The
Hindu Goddess Keli also received a plate at The
Dinner Party who has played a
huge part in the Indian belief system for millions of years, in fact her name
first appears in a holy text “Rg Veda” around 1700-1100 B.C. Kali symbol is an
odd one to explain for the fact that she is both feared yet adored “as she is
associated with the opposing forces of destruction and death, as well as
creation and salvation, she characterized as both vicious and nurturing”
(Brooklyn Museum). Very complicated to describe this goddess as she often
looked at as a creator in a sense that she takes lives to give new life. Kali’s
plate is “painted with central core imagery, which filed seed forms symbolizing
fecundity and referencing Kail’s association with free cycles of nature”
(Brooklyn Museum). The colors deep red, purple and brown symbolizes that the
goddess drinks the blood of demons and that her thirst can never be satisfied.
As a whole Kaili seat at The
Dinner Party symbolizes
Kaili’s powers as restorative rather than horrific.
Work Citied
http://www.brooklynmuseum.org/exhibitions/chitra_ganesh
http://www.mariamanhattan.com/Biography.htm
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