In the past of the art world, women have not always been so well highlighted. Indeed, throughout the history of painting, women artists have often (or very often) been neglected, criticised and relegated to the background. Yet they have been producing works since Antiquity in all fields: painting, sculpture, engraving, photography and architecture. Moreover, few of them have achieved recognition, or even more, the status of creator, of "woman artist". Art historians' interest in women dates back to the 1960s, as a corollary of gender studies, the expansion of women's rights and the feminist movement. In reality, it is not so much the emergence of an artistic movement strictly speaking for women, but rather the visibility of the work of women artists.
Thus the selection below shows a multitude of works that are very different from one another, such that there is no such thing as a "feminine style". On the contrary, these works show personality and innovative ambition, while paying homage to famous artists such as Frida Kahlo (Béa Simpson) or René Magritte (Laurina Paperina), showing a desire to follow in the footsteps of certain models regardless of their era or gender. From the figurative photographic portrait of Sylvie Castioni to the abstract painting of Cassandra Brown, the artists presented here show a rare eclecticism, such that the collector will be surprised to stop in front of the sensuality of a portrait, the bright colours of a painting or the graceful elegance of a sculpture.
The fact remains that the art market and more broadly the artistic discipline are still overwhelmingly held by men, to the detriment of the real and exhaustive promotion of the work of women artists. We therefore wanted to recognise the diversity of contemporary artists, their talent - and who knows, their superiority. In photography, Angélique, Irene Cruz and Juliette Jourdain play with the monochrome or nuanced beauty of women, while Niki de Saint-Phalle, Caroline Brisset and Sophie Cavalié sculpt a world of fun and melancholy poetry. And that's not to mention painting, figurative or abstract, a field in which many women have invested themselves without ambiguity to brilliantly narrate a world in which they claim their rightful place.
You will have understood: whether they are famous like Niki de Saint Phalle or lesser known like Stasele Jakunskaite, it is now essential to know the female references who are making their mark on the international art scene today. Artsper pays homage to women artists by revealing a selection of masterful works by women.
