Art is the Solution

In 1971, a rather famous art historian named Linda Nochlin published an essay entitled "Why Have There Been No Great Women Artists?" (which was rather famous in and of itself). In this piece, Nochlin explains how institutional and cultural forces prevented women from engaging in the artistic world for most of Western history. Despite the valid points that Nochlin makes, the premise of her essay actually isn’t true. Since "Why Have There Been No Great Women Artists?" was published, numerous women of the modern era have been recognized for their artistic genius, while at the same time art historians have rediscovered the work of many female painters who were forgotten by history. However, it is still true that the work of female artists tends to be undervalued and understudied in the art world. So, today, I’d like to introduce you to five brilliant women who definitely deserve the name Great Artists. Sofonisba Anguissola - Sofonisba Anguissola is probably the greate...

The Swan, No. 1 Source: Guggenheim Museum I have to admit that understanding and interpreting the work of Swedish artist Hilma af Klint is above my paygrade. Her work is esoteric—to put it simply—and contains a complex set of symbols and codes that can be explained only after careful study of her work and writings. Although af Klint began her artistic career painting traditional, figurative scenes such as landscapes, in the early twentieth century she adopted a totally new artistic style as a result of her recent experiences with Spiritualism. af Klint began attending seances as a teenager, and, as she grew older, af Klint became a member of a group of women interested in Spiritualism called The Five. These women attended seances regularly and made regular contact with six different spirits. These spirits gave them messages and instructions, including a commission to create a temple filled with paintings. The purpose of the temple is rather unclear to me; however, the instruc...