Introduction to Feminist Art

Coinciding with the Guerrilla Girls exhibition at the Whitechapel Art Gallery, this talk offered an introductory overview to feminism in contemporary art. Starting with a discussion of how different 'waves' of feminism played out in visual culture, Reckitt considered how the generational underpinnings of the notion of ‘waves’ has been challenged by artists and thinkers who consider issues of latency and the virtual within feminism. Her talk explored how artists engaged with feminism have approached the persistent tropes of gender as performance and masquerade, and to the role played by consciousness raising within the feminist movement and related cultural activities. Pointing to faultlines within strands of feminism at key historical moments, around class, race and gender non-conformism, Reckitt highlighted how current feminist issues play out in art that addresses emotional labour and social reproduction, as well as blackness and female memes.