Modernism

Ayo Haruna

Men and women have never been equal in society and especially in the art world. This was the case during so many art movements and also during the Modern Art period. But the modern art period was a different ball game. Women were bolder and courageously broke the strict norms that has plagued the society and the art world for years.  Modern art includes artistic work produced during the period extending roughly from the 1860s to the 1970s, and Illustrates the style and philosophy of the art produced during that era. One could say that Modernism artistic painting fostered a period of radical like works in the arts from the late 19th to the mid-20th century, particularly in the years following  the second world war. 

All many women wanted was to do away and break through the strict rigid patriarchal society that restricted them. They wanted to be equal in aspects of society. Modernism easily helped make that a reality in the way the art was beginning to be created. It was not just one way of artistic form, it was associated with various movements such as Cubism, Surrealism, Impressionism. It was revolutionary and created a big movement in the art world for men and women.

Modernism can be described as a type of art that started in the beginning of the 1890s and ended in the first half of the 20th century. Modernism was a period where gender, race and fashion was core to the artistic artwork that were being created. It was a time beyond where not only social boundaries were pushed in art but the way drawings itself was physically represented. Brighter colors, more conventional ways of painting.

 

According to the “Guerilla Girls "impressionism, post impressionism, fauvism, cubism, futurism, constructivism, dada-ism, surrealism, expressionism, abstract expressionism, " is modernism all in one. (Gorilla Girls, 57).   According to Chadwick Modernism was the movement that celebrated the idea and courage of womanhood and the role they played in society. Modernism was a different kind of art that consolidated vibrant colors and saw many women push the boundaries way more than they ever did. Oil paintings started to become prominent and so did fashion.

 Through all the adversity women had to face and barriers they had to break during this period, Women of all races and classes who stepped out on the edge courageously resisting conventional norms for women behavior”, but sometimes these women were considered crazy.

              
The Chadwick book on chapter eleven goes on to talk about the emergence of modernism during the depression period and how federal arts project which was a part of the Works progress Administration sprung up a lot of more artistic getting opportunity and recognition, during this time female artist were able to identify themselves as “part of the labor force”. Governments funded murals and other works of art during this time, so as to employ people and also boost the morale of people. Women became very influential in pushing this goal. This projects were funded as part of the New Deal that President Roosevelt and his administration implemented with the hopes of getting the country out of depression.  From the text I was able to understand that modernism signaled how women broke from the past restrictions and rigid representation that existed in the art culture. In that sense, the New Woman “caused” modernism 

Some of the most important women artists in the modernism period include Grace Hartigan, Pablita Velarde and Frida Khalo. Grace Hartigan, was "one of the first abstract women artists of her generation to earn an international reputation..." (Chadwick, 319). While Pueblo Painter Pablita Velarde was commissioned by the WPA to paint the customs and ceremonies of the pueblo people.  Frida Khalo on the other hand pushed boundaries in the way she painted accurate portraits of the story of her life, the inner demons she had and her love affair with Diego. Frieda was from Mexico, her art work were not conventional and that was a testimony to the modern art period. She painted portraits of whatever she felt or what she deemed right. She is a prime example of this period. People remember her name and they do because of the unconventional and brilliant way she created her art

http://xroads.virginia.edu/~museum/armory/gender.html 

         ( This link is to a website which illustrates the part made by woman during the modernism era.)

 In today’s society, we see how modernism is everywhere especially in Fashion, which are bold and revolutionary. This period signaled a breakthrough and a radical change when it comes to women and art.  

 

Chadwick, Whitney. 2012. Women, Art, and Society. 4th ed. New York, NY: Thames and Hudson.

Guerrilla Girls. 1998. The Guerrilla Girls' Bedside Companion to the History of Western Art. New York, NY: Penguin Books