Feminism and Art History Now: Radical Critiques of Theory and Practice

Feminism and Art History Now explores how developments in global politics, artworld institutions, and local cultures have reshaped the critical directions of feminist art historians. The book presents new research on a range of topics, including political movements, urban gentrification, community art projects, and contemporary indigenous culture, through case studies of artists such as Lee Krasner, The Emily Davison Lodge, Zoe Leonard, Martha Rosler, Carla Lonzi, and Womanhouse.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 328 pages
Publication date: 19 May 2022
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC

Feminist art historians have been significantly influenced by developments in global politics, artworld institutions, and local cultures. This essay explores the extent to which these changes have reshaped the critical directions of feminist art history.

Since around 1970, feminist historiography has been a powerful force in shaping our understanding of art and culture. However, as the world continues to evolve, it is important to consider how to maintain the relevance and forcefulness of feminist critique in the face of contemporary political struggles.

Feminism and Art History Now, a collection of essays, engages with this question by exploring the rich inheritance of feminist historiography and considering how to maintain its critique while addressing contemporary political challenges. The chapters in this book address a range of topics that reflect the museological, global, and materialist trajectories of 21st-century art historical scholarship.

The themes of invisibility, temporality, spatiality, and storytelling are central to the chapters in this book. They present new research on a diversity of topics that span political movements in Italy, urban gentrification in New York, community art projects in Scotland and Canada's contemporary indigenous culture. Case studies focus on the art of Lee Krasner, The Emily Davison Lodge, Zoe Leonard, Martha Rosler, Carla Lonzi, and Womanhouse.

Together with a synthesising introductory essay, these case studies provide readers with a view of feminist art histories of the past, present, and future. By examining the ways in which developments in global politics, artworld institutions, and local cultures have influenced feminist art history, we can better understand the ways in which art can be used as a tool for social change and empowerment.

In conclusion, the essays in Feminism and Art History Now offer a valuable contribution to the field of feminist art history. They demonstrate the ways in which feminist critique can be maintained and expanded in the face of contemporary political challenges, and they provide readers with a rich understanding of the past, present, and future of feminist art history.

Weight: 574g
Dimension: 139 x 217 x 24 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781350270930