Berlinale Impression
We quite liked the documentary on feminist art at this year’s Berlinale. American artist and filmmaker Lynn Hershman Leeson edited hours of historical footage and interviews for her movie !Women Art Revolution (2010).
Janine Antoni, Loving Care, 1993 © Courtesy of Luhring Augustine Gallery
The documentary chronicles the founding years of the feminist art movement in the 1970’s and features numerous pioneering women artists, historians, curators and critics who challenge the reigning (male) art establishment to date. The interviewees range from historic key figures such as the artists Judy Chicago and Miriam Shapiro, the founding director of The New Museum Marcia Tucker and art historian Moira Roth to young artists such as Miranda July. Leeson documents their fight against the marginalization of women artists. She details groundbreaking achievements for theintegration of women into art structures such as the first feminist art education programs, alternative art spaces or publications. Also, she shows landmark exhibitions and essential artworks.
While the formal quality of !Women Art Revolution is questionable, the content is really absorbing. Most important – this is why we’re writing on the screening – there’s more material to be found on the !Women Art Revolution collection website, an extensive archive housed by Stanford University with videos, transcripts and biographies on pioneers of the feminist art movement and other feminist studies resources…
