I am inviting you all over for a dinner party! But, it is my kind of dinner, so some of you may not want to stay! The artist I am posting about this time is Judy Chicago. Judy is a 'feminist' artist and the work I am going to post about is entitled The Dinner Party.
The Dinner Party is a huge installation presently on display at the Brooklyn Museum. It was made by over 400 volunteers and a handful of paid workers over the course of 5 years back in the 1970's. It consists of a triangular shaped table, measuring 48' to a side, sitting on a porcelain floor with the names of 999 women who changed the course of history written on it. The table itself is set with 39 place settings, 13 to a side, honoring 39 historical and mythical women. Each place setting consists of a porcelain china plate resting on an embroidered runner with a golden chalice and utensils commemorating the lives of these women. Judy Chicago's aim was to raise awareness of women's contributions throughout history. As with much of the feminist movement, it received (and is still receiving) it's share of criticisms, and rightly so, although that is not a subject I wish to pursue at this time! The Dinner Party is a very 'in your face' statement of Judy's viewpoint.
Here are a few examples of individual place settings:
Sojourner Truth--born into slavery, abolitionist, suffragist
Hypatia--5th century mathematician, philosopher and teacher
Boadaceia--warrior queen from Celtic Britain
Isabella d'Este--first lady of the Renaissance
Hatshepsut--pharaoh of Ancient Egypt
Emily Dickinson--American poet
Marcella--saint and founder of an ascetic women's convent
Sacajawea--valued member of the Lewis and Clark Expediton
These are just a smattering of the many I could have chosen to show you! Each plate and embroidered runner is designed with the symbols and colors associated with the time period the woman lived in. Each depicts a strong woman that made her mark on her world. Each is a woman we should remember.