Courtesy the Modern
In 1971, art historian Linda Nochli wrote an essay for ARTnews asking why there’s a dearth of great women artists. Fifty-one years later, the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth presents a new exhibition to prove Nochli’s inference incorrect.
It took about two and a half years for the Women Painting Women collection to form into its completed 46 pieces. The artworks — which span a variety of generations, cultures, and nationalities. — are organized into four themes: the body, nature personified, color as portrait, and selfhood. Women Painting Women will run from May 15 to Sept. 25.
“I wanted the collection to be international in scope because I wanted it to not be about the women’s movement in the U.S but women all across the globe who have been making art for different reasons,” chief curator, Andrea Karnes, says. “I didn't want to make it historical but thematic, instead, including some trailblazers from the late 1960s and 70s. I think it tells a story to the visitors who come to see the show.”
Due to society’s tendency for patriarchal structures, white males have historically dominated the art and painting scenes., and women weren’t readily accepted into fine art institutions.
“The exhibit is important because it includes some of the most influential artists of the 20th and 21st centuries. It will allow visitors to discover works under the common umbrella of inclusivity in terms of the artists and the subjects,” Karnes says. “In other words, what women mean is so much broader than it used to be, and [now patrons can see] what those representations of women look like to women artists over the last 50 years.”
Luchita Hurtado, Njideka Akunyili Crosby, and María Berrío are only some of the 46 artists that will be represented in the gallery.
“I hope people see the exhibition and find courage, encouragement, and mentors on the walls of the museum,” Karnes says “I hope they can learn something new and discover new artists. The nature of the collection is that people are going to find things that they love, things that challenge them, things they find problematic, and things that they're passionate about. A group show runs the gambit of all those emotions and all that intellect. The show has fantastic energy, and my best hope is that people can connect with it.”
