Contemporary Feminist Artists

Contemporary feminist artists explore what it means to be a woman, all while combatting misogyny and patriarchal ideals. The mid-to-late 20th century saw the arrival of First Wave feminist art, art that challenged societal perceptions of women and their role in society, an iconic early example of this being Judy Chicago's 1979 installation work “The Dinner Party", an epic hommage to the history of 39 famous mythical and historical women. Later in 1995 Tracey Emin, a member of Young British Artists, stirred enormous controversy with her conceptual pieces “Everyone I've Ever Slept With" and “My Bed", both of which challenged feminine stereotypes of how women should behave, and helped to change perception of female sexuality. 

Today, intersectional feminist artist explore gender in relation to other topical themes, such as sexual orientation, racism, ableism and classism. Artist Kara Walker's work addresses racism and sexism throughout American society and history, while Mexican photographer Teresa Margolles explores violence against transgender women and sex workers in her poignant work. Drawing inspiration from Emin, Belgian photographer Charlotte Abramow explores feminist issues such as sexual consent, female sexual agency as well as challenging double standards between men and women. 

Empower yourself by exploring Artsper's collection of contemporary feminist artists!