Art Equality: Women
Do women have to be naked to get into the Met. Museum?
"Less than 4% of the artists in the Modern Art section are women, but 76% of the nudes are female." - Guerrilla Girls
Brock, Connor. 2017. Question. Harn Museum of Art/Guerrilla Girls, Gainesville.
"The Estrogen Bomb"
"Drop it on the superpowers and the guys in charge will throw down their big guns, hug each other, apologize, and start to work on human right, education, health care and an end to low income inequality." - Guerrilla Girls
This work of art by Guerrilla Girls is satire that calls for an "estrogen bomb" to be dropped on the superpowers of the world, whom it says are presidents, prime ministers, general, oligarchs, and CEOs everywhere. What this work is calling for is more than social inequality justice for women in art, but also in education, jobs, and so much more.
Brock, Connor. 2017. Estrogen Bomb. Harn Museum of Art/Guerrilla Girls, Gainesville.
We sell white bread.
Ingredients: white men, artificial flavorings, preservatives.
*Contains less than the minimum daily requirements of white women and non-whites.
An intersting work of art by Guerrilla Girls in the form of a PSA, arguing that there is a lack of substance in art most often done by white men, but still, the works made by white men that are lacking in substance are still put on display over those created by women or non-whites.
Brock, Connor. We Sell White Bread. 2017. Harn Museum of Art/Guerrilla Girls, Gainesville.
Dash out the dollar for the woman...
Aside from calling out inequality on the display side of things, Guerrilla Girls created a work that is simple but very powerful that calls out the pay inequality present in the art world. Just as is present in society with desk jobs, there is also pay inequality in the art world.
Brock, Connor. Pay Inequality. 2017. Harn Museum of Art/Guerrilla Girls, Gainesville.
Why the head and why the arms?
Aside from the works of art by Guerrilla Girls, the Harn Museum also had on display a work of art that serves as a fine example of what Guerrilla Girls were arguing for. Is it really true that women must be nude in order to be on display in a museum? It seems that it is more often than not that art displays of women are nude. In this case, this sculpture is very powerful in the sense that it portrays women as simple objects that are to be admired, but do not need to think or do anything but hold themselves up at the base and pose.
Brock, Connor. Seated Figure. 2017. Harn Museum of Art/John Storrs, Gainesville.
As you can see, artists who are caucasian are represented by the black bars, and those who are of color are represented by the pink bars. Clear to the human eye, it is evident that there is inequality present in art displays when there is a drastic difference in the amount of caucasian artists, and those of color, that have works on display.
Be fearless. Become informed. Speak up. Engage civilly.
The display, at the Harn Museum of Art, by Guerrilla Girls, went deep into history and made arguments, through figures, images, and quotes from women themselves, that there is still inequality present in society, specifically in art. As said in many of the works, the art personifies intercultural communication in regards to leadership because it makes a call to action for change in society that would ultimately place women, and those of color, on a level playing field with white men. This call to action, made by Guerrilla Girls' art, is a large step into the dark of social inequality. For years on end now, women have been fighting to equality but this specific argument has never been brought to light. Though there was a "central argument," this display covered all aspects of social inequality for women and those of color (pay, jobs, etc.).
As a white male observing the display, I was at first a tad uncomfortable as I was surrounded by women, one of those women being my mother and her friend. It was interesting to view this display with two women I know very well by my side because I was able to look at the display from a different perspective and then gather their opinions on the works. Starting off, my mom was taken aback by the issue and began to think of whether she had ever heard of such a thing. I began to ask how she felt and it was then that I realized even my mother, of all people, who often argues that it is embarrassing to hear of all the social movements for equality for women, felt as if there was truth behind the art. I sat in awe for a few minutes of the courage it took for these women to create such politically incorrect works of art and then have them on display for all to see. Though I am a white, heterosexual male with strong conservative roots and views, I too could agree that there needs to be change.
"I stand for simple justice, equal opportunity and human rights. The indispensable elements in a democratic society - and well worth fighting for." Helen Suzman
Credits:
Connor Brock