https://padlet.com/zachphilburn/h7g8van8bxs113vy by Zach Philburn en-us 2021-04-10 20:25:04 UTC 2026-01-01 00:55:14 UTC hello@padlet.com zachphilburn https://padlet.com/zachphilburn/h7g8van8bxs113vy/wish/1403133399 Why do art galleries represent fewer female than male artists? In the words of the feminist activists the Gorilla Girls, why are female artists five percent of the art in museums but nude females represent eighty-five percent of the nudes? Do black artists have additional barriers to success when compared to artists of other ethnicities? Why is there such little representation for disabled people in art, and who are the ones representing disabled people? How are queer people represented in art and why is it often non-queer people representing them (and often in very negative ways as late as the 70's)?  Identity Politics is the umbrella term for the art movement that sought to answer these questions, and tended to feature artists that come from these minorities taking pride in their identities and protesting the discrimination they faced through their art. A critique, or perhaps an addition, to this field is the idea of Intersectionality, or the idea that multiple minority identities can overlap and create additional systems of disadvantage. Many artists that contributed to this field did have several identities- the term itself was invented by a black feminist socialist group. 'Identity Politics' is a loaded term in American politics, with both right wing and left wing critics decrying it for being divisive. However, it is difficult to argue with the results of the ideas of identity politics in society; the 60's and 70's saw black people gain more equal rights through the Civil Rights acts, and LGBT activists were able to decriminalize homosexuality and gain more societal acceptance through the Gay Liberation movement. Both of these were possible through coming together as groups and protesting, sometimes violently, for these rights. It is hard to untangle art from politics with identity politics because like this video below, it asks if our politics are really as logical and objective as we like to think. In essence, Identity Politics asks what effect our identities have on our outlook and life experience, and how discrimination and oppression experienced because of minority identities can be overcome. ]]> 2021-04-10 20:45:48 UTC https://padlet.com/zachphilburn/h7g8van8bxs113vy/wish/1403133399 zachphilburn https://padlet.com/zachphilburn/h7g8van8bxs113vy/wish/1403189646 Identity Politics has come about as an umbrella term to cover several new art movements that came about after the 60's, one of these being the Feminist Art Movement. The 60's saw feminists begin to analyze how art had been dominated by men and what effect that had on the art that was produced and popularized. Feminist Artists began to create art that expressed questions from a female outlook and celebrated female contributions. Many galleries refused female artists on the basis of their sex alone- new galleries and methods of distribution were produced to share their message. Women were given greater autonomy during this era- there was a strong push for the Equal Rights Amendment and many nondiscrimination protections were codified in the law. (see https://www.theartstory.org/movement/feminist-art/)

see Dinner Party by Judy Chicago for an example of feminist art and the themes it explores. This specific work features real and fictional females throughout society and represents their influence. ]]> 2021-04-10 21:41:10 UTC https://padlet.com/zachphilburn/h7g8van8bxs113vy/wish/1403189646 zachphilburn https://padlet.com/zachphilburn/h7g8van8bxs113vy/wish/1403205045 'Queer' itself was a re-appropriation of the word, which was often used as a slur before being reclaimed by activists and artists in the 70's. The late 20th Century was a tumultuous time for queer artists (and people), and much of that art either expressed frustration or dreamed of a better, more accepting world. Politically, homosexuality was decriminalized in 1963 in the United States, and would shortly thereafter be declassified as a mental disorder. The Stonewall Riot would lead to greater visibility of the queer community. However, even with these wins, there were still a multitude of problems. Many states would choose to classify 🤬 as a misdemeanor and it would take a Supreme Court case to repeal these laws in 2003. The Reagan administration was widely decried for their mishandling of the AIDS  epidemic. Queer Art would represent the continual fight for acceptance and equal protection under the law. (see https://www.theartstory.org/movement/queer-art/)

Here the Dyke Action Machine parodied posters from The Gap. It showed a world where lesbians were perceived no differently than their heterosexual counterparts. ]]> 2021-04-10 21:58:43 UTC https://padlet.com/zachphilburn/h7g8van8bxs113vy/wish/1403205045 zachphilburn https://padlet.com/zachphilburn/h7g8van8bxs113vy/wish/1403227770 Born in 1911, Romare Bearden is one of the earliest practitioners of what we consider Identity Politics in art. He was a Jack of all trades before becoming an artist. He created political cartoons in college. He participated on his university's baseball team, and would go on to play baseball semi-professionally. Eventually, he would be injured in a way that would make him rethink his athletic career and focus more on his art. As an artist, he wasn't afraid to experiment in different techniques. Expressionism, cubism, he even experimented with collages and would also gain popularity from his jazz. Bearden would receive awards for his contributions to society from the NAACP and President Jimmy Carter. He passed away in 1988 from complication of bone cancer. (see https://www.theartstory.org/artist/bearden-romare/life-and-legacy/)

Here, Bearden shows the solace and community black communities and women can draw from each other while also showing the spiritual solace Mary, the mother of Jesus, surely gained from visiting her sister Elizabeth after the crucifixion of her son.]]> 2021-04-10 22:24:18 UTC https://padlet.com/zachphilburn/h7g8van8bxs113vy/wish/1403227770 zachphilburn https://padlet.com/zachphilburn/h7g8van8bxs113vy/wish/1403260664 Though she has worked in a variety of mediums, including painting, Faith Ringgold became especially famous for her artistic quilts. This quilt represents the plight of women, especially black women, to feel like they have to look a certain way or have a certain body type to be beautiful. She describes how she created this quilt at a time when her weight was killing her physically and spiritually and she spent her time thinking about and preparing food. Other quilts tell stories, including one that re-interprets Aunt Jemima's backstory into one of empowerment for people of color. (see https://www.nytimes.com/1990/05/27/nyregion/an-artist-traces-her-life-in-quilts.html)]]> 2021-04-10 23:08:24 UTC https://padlet.com/zachphilburn/h7g8van8bxs113vy/wish/1403260664 zachphilburn https://padlet.com/zachphilburn/h7g8van8bxs113vy/wish/1403267493 Rashid Johnson is one of the more abstract artists here, dabbling in installation art and more subjective abstract art. These abstract pieces were meant to be viewed while listening to certain music and are actually large wallpapers. While looking at them, the audience is to reflect on their identity in terms of race and politics. ]]> 2021-04-10 23:18:55 UTC https://padlet.com/zachphilburn/h7g8van8bxs113vy/wish/1403267493 zachphilburn https://padlet.com/zachphilburn/h7g8van8bxs113vy/wish/1403275628 An interesting phenomena in Intersectionality is the idea that identities can pull one in contradictory directions. For example, I have one gay friend (and know of others) who have expressed that they feel that some in the LGBT community don't like them identifying as Mormon due to the negative and homophobic ideas they believe the church possesses . When interacting with church members, they feel that members ignore and feel uncomfortable with the queer part of their identity (and there is probably also occasional queerphobia). This is not unique to the Latter-Day Saint faith, conservative Christianity has been wrestling with these questions since the beginning of the Gay Liberation Movement, but I think this intersect of identities is particularly relevant to us right now, and we should be particularly thoughtful of the stretch between these identities. 

This exhibition in Provo featured queer Latter-Day Saints who chose to embrace both their queer and their Mormon identities. ]]> 2021-04-10 23:29:52 UTC https://padlet.com/zachphilburn/h7g8van8bxs113vy/wish/1403275628 zachphilburn https://padlet.com/zachphilburn/h7g8van8bxs113vy/wish/1403300427 Bearden's best work, in my opinion, is his abstract rendering of Christ on the cross. Ponder the meaning of all the colors and what they mean. This work is noted as having humanist themes, what do you think they are? (see https://www.theartstory.org/artist/bearden-romare/artworks/)]]> 2021-04-11 00:03:26 UTC https://padlet.com/zachphilburn/h7g8van8bxs113vy/wish/1403300427