Women in Art

Art informs our culture and either confirms or challenges our expectations of what we consider normal. Throughout history, powerful institutions all over the world have employed artists to make sure their story was told properly. Whether it was royalty spending a fortune during the Renaissance to make sure paintings depicted them perfectly, or major corporations today spending millions of dollars on advertisements to sell their products, art is a tool wielded to get a clear message across to the masses.

What happens when people take the power of art back? Many women in this book have used their talents to tell truths, to talk about injustice, and to bring visibility to the unseen, because that is when new ideas can spread and the world can begin to change for the better. Art can be used to empower and celebrate heroes. During the height of segregation in America, many artists, including Elizabeth Catlett, were denied entry into universities due to racist policies. But Elizabeth was determined to make art that celebrated black people, and she portrayed them with beauty and strength. Today, her art depicting black leaders such as Martin Luther King Jr and Harriet Tubman has been shown in museums around the world.