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Renowned artist, writer, feminist and intellectual, Judy Chicago's influence has been far-reaching both within and outside the art community. She has made the female point of view a part of mainstream art.
For over three decades, Chicago has remained steadfast in her commitment to the power of art as a vehicle for intellectual transformation and social change. She single-handedly created Feminist Art in the 1970s, and remains its best-known proponent. In her work, Chicago often uses traditionally "womanly" crafts like needlework and painted china to create images of lasting strength and pride in women's accomplishments. Equally important to her is the creation of objects that will last generations, so that future women will understand what came before.
Chicago is the author of eight books, including Through the Flower: My Struggle as a Woman Artist and The Dinner Party: A Symbol of Our Heritage. The most recent is a collaboration with art historian and critic Edward Lucie-Smith entitled Women and Art: Contested Territory.
Chicago's major pieces include The Dinner Party, The Birth Project, Powerplay, The Holocaust Project and Song of Songs. There are four films about her work: Womanhouse; Right Out of History: The Making of Judy Chicago's Dinner Party by Johanna Demetrakas; The Birth Project by Vivian Kleiman; and a recent museum video about The Holocaust Project, edited by Kate Amend.
The recipient of many grants and awards, she received an Honorary Doctorate in Fine Arts from Russell Sage College in Troy, NY. She was awarded a B.A. and a M.A. from UCLA and is a member of Phi Beta Kappa.
"Because we are denied knowledge of our history, we are deprived of standing upon each other's shoulders and building upon each other's hard earned accomplishments. Instead we are condemned to repeat what others have done before us and thus we continually reinvent the wheel. The goal of The Dinner Party is to break this cycle."
- Judy Chicago
Some bio information courtesy of The Chelsea Forum
Related Links:
Judy Chicago collection at Barnes & Noble
Judy Chicago: An American Vision collection at Barnes & Noble
judychicago.com, including galleries