5 Female Artist

The Brooklyn Museum is an art landmark with modern and ancient art in New York. This museum consists of 1.5 million pieces of art by female artists. It, beautifully, depicts all the struggles of a women in each aspect. For example, many of the art has a societal message of accepting women as people, not objects. It teaches the society to embrace the beauty of a woman, instead of trapping their treasures.

My first and favorite exhibition at the Brooklyn Museum is the Dinner Party by Judy Chicago. The Dinner Party is a banquet with 1,038 female artists and 39 place settings. It is set in a triangular shape, representing both female and Goddess. Each place setting represents history of women created by famous female artists such as Virginia Woolf, Susan B. Anthony and many more.

One of the place settings was dedicated to Virginia Woolf. Personally, this was my favorite piece of art because the message was so cleverly depicted within this piece.

Virginia Woolf’s Place Setting

The blooming flower shape of this art represents unrestricted expression. The seeds in the middle refer to the power of fertility in women. The flowery shape represents the fruitfulness. The middle is bursting out slightly, referencing Woolf as a woman urging other women to break free from masculine literature and write in a form of literacy that reflects themselves. This art piece even refers the delicate chiffon fabric that is understood to be Woolf’s legendary mental fragility but along with strength.

The second female artist whose exhibition was marvelous was Leon and Michaela Constantiner. Their collection was based on their love for Marilyn Monroe.

Monroe was a role model for many women in the 1950s. Along with being extremely talented, she was loud about her personality and was not afraid to express her femininity.  This quality was admired by many people of that time.

Collection of Leon and Michaela Constantiner

This is a collection of Leon and Michaela Constantiner, photographs of Marilyn Monroe, called “I Wanna Be Loved By You”.

Another artist that based her creativity on femininity and empowerment is Chitra Ganesh. Her creation centers the Hindu Goddess Kali, which is the goddess of destruction and rebirth. This Hindu Goddess is known for her fierce power. Ganesh uses this as starting points for plurality and female power. Ganesh uses mythology and literature to address the issues of feminism and queer narratives.

This is an image by Chitra Ganesh: Eyes of Time

The third and immensely meaningful artist is Yoko Ono. My favorite female artist, Yoko Ono, was born in Tokyo, Japan and is 82 years old.

She was married to Jon Lennon until 1980, when he was assassinated. She dedicated her art piece, Wish Tree, to her late husband. This piece of art is representing the solidarity that is needed in a world filled of confusion and fear. She encourages others to seek collective power, which is wished for by many people.  

Wish Tree by Yoko Ono

In the late nineteenth century, Susan B. Anthony was known for her life work to eliminate the difference of gender. She was born in a political family and fought for the women suffrage. She was supported by her father, who gave an equal education to girls. She never married or had children, giving her the freedom to travel and continue her passion for change. Anthony has a place setting at the Dinner Part by Judy Chicago. Her art piece is a three dimensional plate that lifts up to break free from confinement, which represents the struggle of the suffragists for freedom.  

Works Cited

"Chitra Ganesh Discusses Her Installation at the Brooklyn Museum." Artforum.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Apr. 2015.

"Collections: Elizabeth A. Sackler Center for Feminist Art: Virginia Woolf Place Setting." Brooklyn Museum: Elizabeth A. Sackler Center for Feminist Art: Virginia Woolf Place Setting. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Apr. 2015.

"Elizabeth A. Sackler Center for Feminist Art: The Dinner Party: Place Setting: Susan B. Anthony." Brooklyn Museum:. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Apr. 2015.

"Exhibitions: I Wanna Be Loved By You: Photographs of Marilyn Monroe from the Leon and Michaela Constantiner Collection." Brooklyn Museum: I Wanna Be Loved By You: Photographs of Marilyn Monroe from the Leon and Michaela Constantiner Collection. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Apr. 2015.

"Exhibitions: Wish Tree." Brooklyn Museum: Wish Tree. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Apr. 2015.

"Judy Chicago." Judy Chicago. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Apr. 2015.