The Representation of Women in Art by Laney Gibbons
Art is, and always has been, a way for individuals to express themselves, and allow others to experience the magic. Before the generations of phones and social media, artwork was one of the few forms of entertainment that we had, and along the way, art has captured some of the most beautiful and heartbreaking events in history.
Now, in the 21st century, we have more variations of artforms than ever before, yet if you ask any young individual to name a famous artist - 9 times out of 10 they will succeed, because that is how impactful art is. However, research shows that the top three most well-known artists are all male - Picasso, Van Gogh, and Da Vinci. And while this could just be a sign of the times, even the more contemporary groups of artists are overshadowed by the likes of Andy Warhol.
This is why it is so important for new, younger generations to open up conversations about women in art and the work they created. I have always been intrigued by self-portraits and the stories that they tell, as they evoke such emotion both from the creator and the consumer.
One of the most mesmerising pieces of art I have ever discovered is Ana Mendieta’s Untitled (Self-Portrait With Blood). On the surface, the artwork is extremely interesting, drawing the spectator in, wanting to learn more - searching for a deeper meaning. However, if you read more into Ana Mendieta’s life and upbringing, the artwork begins to make more sense. Growing up in Havana, Ana was born into a middle-class family of politicians. This would suddenly be cut short, though. At the age of just 12, Ana, along with her sister, was sent to the United States, where they were regularly moved from one foster home to another - which subsequently led to these emotions shining through within her later works. Unfortunately, Ana had quite an eventful life from birth, all the way up to her death in 1985. Ana passed away in early September of 1985, aged just 36, after falling from the window of the 34th-floor apartment that she shared with her husband, Carl Andre, in Greenwich Village, NYC. In fact, it was speculated that Ana’s husband - Carl - was responsible for her death, but he was later acquitted of all charges.
And while fans of Ana Mendieta and her work fight hard for her legacy, for her to be remembered for her talents, and not her death, it is quite bittersweet that she lived out the rest of her life in the United States. People believe that Ana Mendieta always felt a strong disconnect from the USA, which would be understandable due to her being sent there after being separated from her family. This sense of not-belonging and disconnect really shines through in some of Ana Mendieta’s work, with strong themes of landscape, nature, and the female body, which brings me onto her piece, Untitled (Self-Portrait With Blood).
Untitled (Self-Portrait With Blood) is an extremely bold piece of art. It is raw, emotional, and strong. The piece features a close-up shot of Mendieta herself, as she makes direct eye contact with the camera, as blood drips down her face. This isn’t the first, or last, piece of Mendieta’s work to feature blood - which led Art Historians to theorise that this could be in reference to Santeria - the Cuban religion. This directly links the emotions of Mendieta’s sense of belonging, and the way she felt towards her native country, after being taken away from her home at such a young age. When discussing this theory in a 1981 artist statement, Mendieta explained that “I have been carrying out a dialogue between the landscape and the female body (based on my own silhouette). I believe this has been a direct result of having been torn from my homeland (Cuba) during my adolescence. I am overwhelmed by the feeling of having been cast from the womb (nature). My art is the way I re-establish the bonds that unite me to the universe. It is to return to the maternal source”.
One thing I picked up on from Mendieta’s Untitled (Self-Portrait With Blood) is the fact that her face was obstructed by the blood, which reminded me of Dorothy Mead’s self-portrait from 1973, in which she is also faceless/obstructed. The piece is an oil painting of a nude Mead, with obstructed facial features. The piece is strikingly beautiful and captures a sense of of beauty and vulnerability.
Dorothy Mead was part of the Borough Group . Mead was a talented artist but struggled to get the recognition her male peers received. Like other powerful women who are not afraid to follow their own path, Dorothy Mead was met with criticism and stereotypes for her work. For instance, critic David Sylvester singled Mead out, stating that she “tends to affirm the supremacy of light, as women’s painting often does”. The lease of viewing work is restrictive and has lead to the erasure and pleasure of seeing more work by female artists.
Ana Mendieta and Dorothy Mead paved the way for aspiring women artists, and I am sure they will continue to do so for many generations. Their pieces are timeless, they capture so much strength and emotion, and I know I speak on behalf of numerous art-lovers when I say that we are proud of the women we have to look up to and thank them for the fight that they fought for younger generations.