By Tanya Mittal
How many female artists can you think of in under five seconds? I bet your count will not go beyond a single digit! Alas, that reflects the apathy society displays towards women in the world of art today. Not only in the 21st century but there has been a significant underrepresentation of women sculptors and painters in history before the 18th century as well.
Are all recognized artists coincidentally male? Are women just not capable or were women disadvantaged in the world of art history?
Let’s delve a little deeper into this. ‘Artist’ is an umbrella term taking under its wings a range of sculptors, painters, illustrators, novelists, and so on – therefore art is a medium for the expansion of one’s perception towards social issues. Throughout centuries women have been making ‘Art’, either as creators of artistic expression, or as patrons and collectors, or as a source of inspiration. But the sad reality is that women were not given the chance to develop themselves as artists, and consequently they were not mentioned in art history books either. Many modern day artists still face the challenge of selling their work and gaining recognition. The unspoken common thread running through all of this is the obvious gender bias. Art has always been preferred by female artists to highlight social issues and they showcase messages about these issues through striking pieces of their work on a very vast and wide scale. Some use Indian art forms while others take inspiration from European influences. Early female artists employed traditional art methods and thus became pioneers for modern art.
Talking in the Indian subcontinent context, Amrita Shergil is the most celebrated name and is considered to be a “pioneer” of modern Indian art. Close on heels is contemporary art sculptor Bharti Kher whose inclusion of the ‘Bindi’ in her work was well-known. ‘Bindi’ or the forehead decoration worn by women became the talk of her typical representation and basic foundation of her masterpieces. Also Pushpamala, a trained sculptor turned to photography and performance arts to rake up Indian socio-political stereotypes. Using elements of popular culture and tradition, she examined notions of gender and history. From ghost stories to ethnographic portraits, Pushpamala questioned notions of femininity, the nation, the native, wealth versus poverty, and imagined cities.
Women have been and continue to be integral to the institution of art, so why are only few female artists’ work exhibited? Is it sexism an underlying cause? Because they too are pursuing art vehemently and adamantly as male artists but aren’t getting recognition owing to a lack of opportunities as our society does not have a culture that generally supports independence and entrepreneurship of women. There is a problem of perception too when it comes to women being the creators behind anything new, be it a painting or a movie or a show. Their labour is often undervalued and this hierarchical relation of power between male and female since time immemorial has proved to be disadvantageous to women. Imagine being one of the world’s most accomplished female artists and yet suffering the ignominy of having your work passed off under someone’s name because of the socio-political climate of the era you work in. Imagine being forbidden from joining a guild of artists despite your talent simply because you are a woman. Such was the plight faced by numerous female artists of 16th – 17th century in Florence, Italy whose exquisite work languished in dark basements gathering dust until they were rediscovered and restored by historians centuries later. In fact, The Guardian declared that the art world has “airbrushed” women artists out of history. Today though, Women are definitely coming forward as strong voices in art and art history. Before, it was not possible – the primary reason being no access to education. They were also not encouraged to pursue a professional career and had to occupy themselves with domestic tasks and motherhood. Novels and art by women picked up only after the 18th century worldwide but the reach was still limited. These novels began exploring the world of women -their emotions, identities and problems. Illustrations for such books were not only used as visual aids but expressed a lot of creativity too. There was a renewed sense of agency and confidence through their art. It travelled from canvasses to clothing fabrics and chinaware.
However, today the problem is not only lack of opportunities but also about female artists having their work exhibited; it’s also about women getting high-ranking jobs at galleries and museums. Despite numerous publications on gender inequality in the arts, there is still limited attention towards female artists.The shameful dropout rates of females from art colleges even today makes a case for feminism and has fuelled the debates beyond it. It can thus be argued that the under-representation of female artists has to do with persistent gender roles and solidified structures in a mostly patriarchal society, which affects these norms and values. The commercial art industry was all about servicing the appetites of the wealthy back in the day. Most exhibitions and galleries are set up with the help of invisible personal networks even today. Since women weren’t even allowed to leave their homes, networking was a far-fetched concept.
Art lovers might love talking about their favourite female painters but to this day, it has failed to become a mainstream discussion. The scenario can be flipped in favour of women through better social media outreach, publicising artwork through various digital platforms, and so on. Diversity in art forms can be included and celebrated through awards, art shows, print publications and thereby awarding due recognition to female artists. Definitely a possible solution lies within a change of outlook not only in structure and culture of societal fabric but also giving the much needed appreciative nod to the female artists around, by each one of us.
Tanya Mittal, a writer at Itisaras is currently pursuing her undergraduate degree in History from Lady Shri Ram College, University of Delhi. Belonging to an armed forces family, she has had an opportunity to appreciate the vibrancy that India offers. She is an avid reader and wishes to pursue a career in International Relations.