Tatum Fettig

Professor Dan Li

WS 201

26 March 2023

Feminist Art Analysis

Throughout history, feminists have encouraged people to question our current systems

through artwork. These feminist works range from visual to theater and performance arts, and

traditional to contemporary pieces. In this essay, the visual art pieces Black Iris by Georgia

O'Keeffe, The Dinner Party by Judy Chicago, and Untitled (Your Body is a Battleground) by

Barbara Kruger will be described, analyzed, interpreted, and judged.

Georgia O’Keeffe’s created the oil painting entitled Black Iris in 1926. It is currently on

display at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, in New York City, NY. It depicts an up-close iris

flower and uses multiple shades of paint, including, black and white, and light and dark shades of

gray, purple, and pink to color the petals (Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1970). This piece

personifies female genitalia, as the petals imitate the vulva, vagina and labia (Marshall, 2019, p.

74). The iris is also a metaphor for female sexual anatomy (Marshall, 2019, p. 78). This piece

seeks to push back against stigma and taboos surrounding the female body. Furthermore, the

piece demonstrates the beauty of the female body by comparing it to the beauty of a flower.

Female genitalia is often given nicknames, because it is often discouraged for women to use the

scientific terms. This piece can also be seen as a commentary on those nicknames, specifically

the nickname “flower,” by turning this feeling of shame regarding the female body into a

beautiful iris. Because of the controversiality and stigmatization of female sexual anatomy, I

think this artwork did, and will continue to, provoke public attention and discussion. Although
some people may think this artwork is inappropriate or uncomfortable, I think it is an important

work of art that brings awareness and beauty to the female body.

The Dinner Party is an installation piece created by Judy Chicago in 1979. It is currently

on display at the Brooklyn Museum in Brooklyn, NY. This piece is made up of a triangular

shaped table with 39 place settings. Each of these place settings features silverware, chalices, and

dramatic plates on top of a place mat embroidered with names of famous historical or mythical

women. Some of the women included are Judith, Sappho, Marcella, Saint Bridget, Sojourner

Truth, and Emily Dickinson. This work projects an imaginary situation of all of these famous,

powerful women being together in one room (Marshall, 2019, p. 77). Furthermore, the piece is a

metaphor for women “having a seat at the table,” a commonly used phrase referring to womens’

involvement in the public sphere (Marshall, 2019, p. 78). This artwork is a commentary on the

lack of inclusion and representation of women throughout history in all places where decisions

are made (Brooklyn Museum, n.d). I do think this artwork provokes public discussion. It is such

a large, unique installation that immediately grabs each viewer's attention. Furthermore, the

names of each of these women is displayed on the artwork, introducing them all to viewers who

may be unfamiliar with them. The metaphor of each of these women having a seat at the table

also elicits discussion on the current involvement of women in society, compared with these

historical examples.

Untitled (Your Body is a Battleground) by Barbara Kruger is a 1989 contemporary

photography artwork. It is currently on display at The Broad in Los Angeles, California. This

piece features an up close photograph of a woman’s face as she looks into the camera. The photo

is edited with a black and white filter that is split down the middle of her face and inverted. She

also has a textured filter over her image. The words “your body is a battleground” are edited into
the photograph, on top of the woman’s face. These words represent the constant politicization of

the female body through abortion laws (The Broad, n.d.). This piece layers multiple different

photographic edits on top of the original image (Marshall, 2019, p. 79). The split down the

middle of her face represents the juxtaposition between her image as both a form of artwork and

a form of protest (Marshall, 2019, p. 78). I think this artwork will provide public discussion, as it

is a protest to the politicization of abortion. Abortion is a constantly controversial issue, and

people on the anti-abortion side of the argument may argue that this issue is not a matter of the

woman’s body, but of the fetus itself.

Each of these visual art pieces provide commentary on the social systems and power

structures regarding gender.

Artwork #1: Black Iris - Georgia O’Keeffe, 1926, painting, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New
York City, NY

Artwork #2: The Dinner Party - Judy Chicago, 1979, installation artwork, Brooklyn Museum,
Brooklyn, NY

Artwork #3: Untitled (Your Body is a Battleground) - Barbara Kruger, 1989 contemporary
photography art, The Broad, Los Angeles, California
 References

Georgia o'keeffe: Black Iris. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Retrieved March 25, 2023, from

https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/489813

Marshall, J., Ledo-Lane, A., & McAvoy, E. (2019). Integrating the visual arts across the

curriculum: An elementary and middle school guide. Teachers College Press.

The Dinner Party by Judy Chicago. Brooklyn Museum: The Dinner Party by Judy Chicago.

(n.d.). Retrieved March 25, 2023, from

https://www.brooklynmuseum.org/exhibitions/dinner_party/

Untitled (your body is a battleground). Untitled (Your body is a battleground) - Barbara Kruger |

The Broad. (n.d.). Retrieved March 25, 2023, from

https://www.thebroad.org/art/barbara-kruger/untitled-your-body-battleground