Lectures on Contemporary Art: 8

Invisible Masters

Women and Art

During the long years of medieval history women had great difficulty becoming visible let alone producing art. Study at university and colleges was barred to women and, with a few exceptions, women accepted the strictures. Even thirty years ago women were considered less creative than men. Since the feminist movement and the impetus given by artists such as Chicago and Shapiro in the 1960s, this attitude has changed.

Nowadays some of the most famous (and the most infamous) artists are women: contemporary artists such as Rebecca Horn, Mona Hatoum, Rachel Whiteread, Sarah Lucas, Fiona Rae, Cindy Sherman, Louise Bourgeois, Susan Derges and of course Tracey Emin. The prices paid for their work is equally high, the work done equally powerful. The 'glass ceiling' in art seems well and truly smashed.