I [yes, finally] listened to Jen Graves’ podcast of her interview with Alice Wheeler. Wow. The interview is more of a monologue, but it’s one that is wholly worthwhile. She said so many things that no one else seems to be saying; yet lots of people must be thinking about them, right?
I hadn’t realized that I have this idea of what the [contemporary] [female] [American] artist is supposed to be like. I hadn’t ever articulated it or heard it articulated before; at least not in this way. There’s this female artist template, and I’ve been sharing studio space with her all along. Negotiating.
There are conversations about feminism and what it means to be a female artist, but they are usually among feminists, and they are few and far between. If they make it into a larger arena, they seem to be bullied back into specificity so quickly that no response is required from the greater community.
Apparently I’m chickenshit because I can’t find the words to elaborate on my own experience as a female artist, nor bring myself to provide examples for any of the points I’m making. Sometimes it feels dangerous enough just writing this blog. Sometimes I’m struck with the thought that writing a blog about the art scene I’m participating in isn’t really what I’m “supposed” to be doing. I’m fairly certain it would have been safer to be quiet. Ah well, it’s too late for that.
Oh it is too late for that, hah!
I’ve been thinking about Alice Wheeler’s show ever since it went up, and I need to listen to that podcast too. Before the success of the show snuck up on me, I got mad and I wondered what place in the world women had after the age of 30 and what purpose in Feminism there was for frivolous girls running around in crazy clothes and fake guns (a la the video at the show). I didn’t understand, I thought it was all really surface. And I didn’t write about that because you’re right. It feels dangerous.
In retrospect, I was mad because the imagery Wheeler presents isn’t the imagery I want when talking about Feminism. I fear that the imagery we have is just an appropriation of male language slightly modified, and women have to find their voice. One that isn’t angry man-and-craft-and-childrearing-at-home-hating. One that isn’t altered-from-double-A-to-double-D-breasts-in-spite-of-men-because-I’m-beautiful-and-strong-goddamnit. Is Wheeler beating all of this or perpetuating it?
I have a lot of words too, and I don’t know how to write them yet. I guess I know what I’m listening to this morning