Brooklyn Museum Visit Extra Credit

Throughout history, many important women contributed for the rights of women through art, literature, movements, etc. Although these women contributed a great deal to society, some of them did not get the honor they deserve. Many were forgotten in history but their work still remains. At the Brooklyn Museum of Art, Judy Chicago created a masterpiece finished in 1979 called “The Dinner Party” which honors 1,038 actual and mythical female figures who had been rejected by history.  There were four artwork out of “The Dinner Party” was dedicated to Ethel Smyth, Margaret Sanger, Georgia O’Keefe, and the Primordial Goddess. These four females contribute a great deal to the history of women. There was also another masterpiece created by Chira Ganesh called “The Eyes of Time” that showcased the Hindu goddess Kali to create the theme of destruction and rebirth of women. Women have always gone through many difficulties imposed by society but women have always been able to take away those difficulties and create success. Similar to Judy Chicago and Chira Ganesh artwork, these five females went through destruction but rebirth out of the destruction to bring to society their greatness.

One of the greatest contributors of music is Ethel Smyth, a female composer. Ethel Smyth was born in 1858 and died in 1944. Despite being a young prodigy in music, her father opposed her wish to study music. Nevertheless, she continued her ambitions to pursue music even becoming friends with many known composers such as Tchaikovsky. She became the first and only female composer who would have her opera “Der Wald” play at the New York’s Metropolitan Opera. Music was her life but Smyth also became an important figure to the women’s suffrage movement and later joined the Women’s Social and Political Union. She created the anthem for the association called “The March of Women” in 1911. The anthem was often sung by female suffragist who were captured or detained in prison for demonstrating their protests in the streets. Ethel Smyth is an example of a woman who witnesses difficulties from society but was able to overcome it.

Piano plate for Ethel Smyth

The next important female in history contributed a great deal to improve the standards of living for women and her name is Margaret Sanger. Margaret Sanger was born in 1879 and died in 1966. Sanger coined the popularized term “birth control” and sought to illegalize unsafe abortions. In 1916, she opened the first abortion clinic and began passing out birth controls to women. She was the founder of the American Birth Control League in 1921 that would later become the Planned Parenthood Federation America, and she later served at the International Planned Parenthood. Although a birth control activist, Sanger also believed in liberating women’s sexuality. Sanger believed women should be able to engaged and be open about their sexuality and birth control helped to minimize women’s risk of unwanted pregnancies. Sangers efforts was not easy, was arrest many times for promoting contraceptives. Sanger not only faced federal issues, she faced opposition from the then-conservative society. Despite the opposition of the people who did not believe in birth control, she became an iconic figure in women’s reproductive rights.

Plate dedicated to Margaret Sangers

In 1887, one of the greatest painter in American art history was born, Georgia O’Keefe. O’Keefe was often called the “Mother of American Modernism.” She was born to parents who were diary farmers and at age 10 she decided to become an artist. “Her famous large abstract-like close-up paintings of irises, lilies and other flowers have been considered erotic, and some feminist artists hailed her as a pioneer of ‘female iconography’- although O'Keefe denied such interpretations of her work. (Peoplesworld, 1)” In 1946, O’Keefe became the first woman to have her own retrospective at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA).  In 1972, O’Keefe was diagnosed with macular degeneration which took away her central vision but she remained to do pencil and charcoal drawing. O’Keefe led an art movement of modernism for women. Modernism helped define women’s role in society and opened up the public sphere to women. Her art helped define women’s sexuality and gender roles in art. O’Keefe also participated in posing in nude to embrace the women’s body. O’Keefe art symbolizes the rebirth of women’s portrayal of art.

Plate dedicated to Georgia O'Keefe

Lily Painting created by O'Keefe

Judy Chicago’s artwork dedicated the Primordial Goddess celebrates the role of women’s creations and work in society. The Primordial Goddess is depicted in many different ways in various cultures throughout history. Although each culture had a different depiction of the goddess, the goddess is considered the Mother of Nature who created life and also life after destruction. She is one of the first deities to be worshipped the earliest in history after humans settled down from nomadic life. “The Primordial Goddess… references early goddess traditions, in which women were creators, associated with the primordial earth. (BrooklynMuseum, 1)” As cultures developed and monotheistic religions became popular, the Primordial Goddess became forgotten. Judy Chicago’s artwork celebrates the goddess once again. The goddess role is similar to every woman who nurtures and bores the next generation. Although ancient civilizations end with destruction, women have always been able to create the next generation or next civilization. Women have always contributed to the rebirth of society in their own rights. The Primordial Goddess is a true embodiment of destruction and rebirth.

Plate dedicated to Primordial Goddess

Chira Ganesh’s artwork “Eyes of Time” portrays the Hindu goddess, Kali, “Exploring ideas of femininity, empowerment, and multiplicity. (Brooklynmuseum, 1)” Kali is a powerful goddess associated with time. She is the wife of Shiva, which makes her associated with the theme of destruction and rebirth. Kali is the goddess of time that will bring death. However, she represents eternal time in which she will always last even with time. Kali is often portrayed in Hinduism as standing over Shiva’s corpse. This represents Ganesh’s ideas of women being powerful and long lasting even after men.  Ganesh’s artwork shows that women can last even after destruction.

"Eyes Of Time" by Chira Ganesh

The two artists’ portrayal of these women in their artwork was truly magnificent in various ways. Women deserve to be remembered in history for their contributions. These women have created long lasting effects on the world even for men. Our new generation owe a great deal to women all over the world for giving us our right to life and our right to contribute to society also.

Word cited

·      "Elizabeth A. Sackler Center for Feminist Art: The Dinner Party: Place Setting: Georgia O'Keeffe." Brooklyn Museum:. Web. 13 Apr. 2015. <http://www.brooklynmuseum.org/eascfa/dinner_party/place_settings/georgia_o_keeffe.php>.

·      "Exhibitions: Chitra Ganesh: Eyes of Time." Brooklyn Museum: Chitra Ganesh: Eyes of Time. Web. 13 Apr. 2015. https://www.brooklynmuseum.org/exhibitions/chitra_ganesh/

·       "Elizabeth A. Sackler Center for Feminist Art: The Dinner Party: Place Setting: Margaret Sanger." Brooklyn Museum:. Web. 16 Apr. 2015. <http://www.brooklynmuseum.org/eascfa/dinner_party/place_settings/margaret_sanger.php>.

·      "Elizabeth A. Sackler Center for Feminist Art: The Dinner Party: Place Setting: Primordial Goddess." Brooklyn Museum:. Web. 16 Apr. 2015. http://www.brooklynmuseum.org/eascfa/dinner_party/place_settings/primordial_goddess.php.

·      "Collections: Elizabeth A. Sackler Center for Feminist Art: Ethel Smyth Place Setting." Brooklyn Museum: Elizabeth A. Sackler Center for Feminist Art: Ethel Smyth Place Setting. Web. 16 Apr. 2015. <http://www.brooklynmuseum.org/opencollection/objects/166099/Ethel_Smyth_Place_Setting>.