were displayed at the ICA gallery entrance, to be ridiculed by was on display within.
What I saw as I excitedly ventured forward was crowd of women, mainly shall groups, discussing arguing. was almost meeting friends at a women's conference exhilarating; the traditional silence of данегу оток oy laugnicl.
For the first time tables were turned. Women, the usual 'objects' of artistic representation, had crossed to the other side of the canvas, and studio to give callicia. their idea of men.
Frankly, after so many centuries of seeing our bodies 'IMAGES of men do not "mean"' the same things, to either sex, as images of women'.
Whether TOL you
agree with this - and you probably will after this exhibition - few of us seen mages oi men portrayed by women.
Art history is also the history of women's oppreswomen at art schools siUll.
not allowed to paint on a make mooe g this century; even wnen inis right had been acquired women painting sculpture being ou or ure queston, orry sub jects considered iveS, duded trom most fine alls oracles.
know, as suitable subjects to sculpted, and photormen were men and personalities and used for stirring up emotions, I would not have been surprised bv a sort of revenge from these women artists.
Was half expeculg
in representation. and Although SOLIC like were satirical and sometimes sombre, the general view was far from callous. of teresullig aspects the variety of media photography, Lullard. lage, painting, sculpture, and video.
The combination of differing views and techniques is striking and kaleidoscopic view world. It is a world of perthe man's nakedness alludes strikingly to his acDarLIciDaLIul societi whereas woman's nakedness is more cultural COULDC. reflection of the social relaDese tereotypes have remaine to and draw on the work of past masters — women s all being hidden, suppressed, poorly rewarded ollows that th only visual tradition open to artists has been patriarchal When I went to see the strength mutilated reality that most women experience By focusing parts of the male anatomy, whether genitals, arms, face, OI ICEs. try to convey works view of a body and sometimes make a powerful critical statement against the disembodiment of women in traditional most in- art.
the used: smile to my lips as her camera caught a relaxed footballer, CULsquatting. pletely unaware, or uncaring. that his penis was sticking out of his shorts. presents of the devices, Lill-Ann drew laughter openly revealing a on certain several of the artists an objective 'Boardroom', Whiteread 'Bold', Joan Wakelin brought a Mouse legs apart, com right); Deborah In a satire of advertising view of Chestow screaming her the by Pat (above); by Lill Ann Chepstow-Lusty (lower Cherry's left); 'The Landlord', by Katz (lower 'Cuddles', by Lowensberg Williams' a little more forced, at the Elena Samperi's Madonna, when The the baby sucking her breast striking while a woman is hunched between his open legs with This groin In her catalogue introduction Margaret Walters sullis corrupt self-satisfaction of a up this photo: The La fraction of a second. toned ohat the world ass.
Another theme familiar to the women's movement was equation of technology with male dominance There was a hustle-bustle in front of Pat Whiteread's collage The Boardroom where four gold and silver robots sat planning women cartoon Nuclear Fallout attributes it to 'centuries of male know-how'.
Bitterness was the main emotion prevailing in Evelyn photograph of a woman left with a child by a passing man.
most sombre and images were JacThe man is gazing back challengingly at the photoso chat ne the en to Both UWI Cutes Jane Lewis and Jenni Whitman Socialist Challenge 6 November 1980 of suffering. Weak or strong Lee or cac like women — are pushed into roles by this society.
The exhibition is not a ghetto. It is living proof tha together women have moved torward trom the investigation of their own place society to that of the world around them. It is a challeng the roots of male dominance.
Women's Images of Men on tour: Arnolfini Gallery Bristol, 8 Nov-2 Jan; South Hill Park Bracknell, an-15 Feb: Bluecoat Galle iverpool, 7-28 March; Thi Eye Gallery, Glasgow, May-June.
and castrated the male figure in way women's sO often LWO silicall ferences. First, nave • body minus than the other way around. second amputatior has taken place wound is left The artists indicate the involved human LIC figure.
Juzefa Heler photographed naked stretched out flat on thei backs Calalout statements women draw attention to the un characteristicall passive pose of their subjects.
BOLI people, Socal , попутои.
Is breace
whether the artworks in this and women be confident we can though, that in a liberated fetura se should be elite Icoulas sentence, Imager mean lie sane things. either sex, as images
----- pull-quotes -----
on woman
artists, has just closed at the and a review it for us.
two to man,
Talo Mimen are there to service
once again a tradition, ars. nude, is breach