Concurrently, Feminism continued to evolve in the 80s but was much more

overtly political. Second Generation, or Second Wave Feminist artists, argued

that women’s experiences and exclusion were not due to their ‘essential

difference’ but were the result of society. They contended that ‘difference’ was

socially constructed, invisibly embedded in all representation as a means of

oppression, and thus needed to be unpacked and dismantled.

The number-one strategy of these artists was deconstructive; a postmodern strategy

of analyzing and calling out built-in bias in all form of representation—language as

well as images. The critique is that it was society, not nature, that ‘otherizes’ women.

In this humorous performance-video, Martha Rosler signals a shift in

perspective: from the ‘essential difference’ model of gender, to the

socially-constructed roles they are often assigned.

Cindy Sherman, Film Stills, 1979

By posing as multiple ‘types’ or stereotypes in this series of fake ‘film stills,’

Sherman not only critiques Hollywood but shows that identity is not ‘essential’ but

rather elective. She can be or ‘perform’ anyone she wants to. Could identity be a

performance, a social construction? If so, perhaps bias is then artificial.

Barbara Kruger Your Body is a Battleground, 1983

Jenny Holzer, Private Property Created Crime, 1985

The Guerilla Girls

Guerrilla Girls, Do Women Have To Be Naked
To Get into the Met. Museum?, 1989

Janine Antoni, In Loving Care, 1993

Yves Kline Jackson Pollock

In dealing more broadly with gender, and gender identity, Antoni dresses up her parents

as interchangeably ‘mom and dad’ to demonstrate identity as fluid and performative.

The history of representing women in art is a fraught one, as you know. Without resorting

to ‘essential difference’ or calling out society, the younger painter feels freer to represent

women as she sees fit. Saville makes obvious reference to the ideal versus the real.

With no specific political statement articulated, this younger artist returns to a more open-ended, metaphorical art.

In this installation, mysterious red powder continually cascades down the gallery walls from the ceiling.

Tarana Burke began using the phrase “Me Too” in

2006 to raise awareness of women who had been

abused. Eleven years later, it found global

recognition after a viral tweet by actress Alyssa

Milano. Milano was one of the women who

accused Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein

of sexual assault.

Not Yours’
Image

Question #1 – Please watch Yoko Ono’s Cut Piece. Give us your thoughts on

the piece, and whether you think it is effective in sending an early feminist

message. Also tell us, if you were there, what would you have cut off? J

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zfe2qhI5Ix4

Question #2 – Do you agree with Second Generation feminist

artists, that ‘difference’ is socially constructed and not inherent?

Tell why or why not. Is there any artwork of theirs that resonates

with you, or do you prefer First Generation work?

Question #3 – Whether she meant to or not, how does Antoni’s performance

comment on earlier male artist’s whose work was performed on the floor?

Image

Question #4 – How does feminist work from the 1980s

compare with those of the #MeToo movement of 2018?

Helen Frankenthaler in her studio.

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