The Dinner Party: From Creation to Preservation"Judy Chicago's internationally acclaimed installation The Dinner Party is a monumental work of art conceived as a symbolic history of women in Western civilization. Strategically countering the traditional erasure of women's achievements, this epic work honors 1038 iconic, mythical, archetypal, and historical women. This, the most definitive book to be published on Chicago's masterwork, reveals the visual and intellectual scope of the installation more fully than ever before, supported by new photography, documentary images, and the artist's expanded research into the history of the women represented. Chicago begins by discussing the creative genesis of The Dinner Party, the dynamism of her collaborative approach to art-making, and the technical processes involved. Mirroring the structure of the installation, the book then divides into three beautifully illustrated "wings," or sections, covering from prehistory to the twentieth century. These explore the remarkable lives of the thirty-nine women symbolically represented as "guests of honor" at The Dinner Party, and of the 999 other women honored in the work. To conclude, Chicago reflects on the work's early--often hostile--reception in the art world and the political arena, as well as the subsequent, decades-long struggle for its preservation and permanent exhibition. At the heart of The Dinner Party is the belief that, by understanding the legacy of women's achievements, women's perceptions of themselves can be transformed. This definitive accompaniment to Chicago's installation continues its purpose and introduces the work to a new generation interested in the relationship between art, culture, and gender politics." -- Publisher's description |
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abbess achievements advocate Amazon American Anna van Schurman Anne became become began born career Caroline Herschel CENTURY BC Christian Christine de Pisan Church CIRCA convent created culture daughter death developed died Dinner Party early Eleanor of Aquitaine Elizabeth Elizabeth Blackwell England established famous father female feminist figure founded France French Germany Goddess GREECE Greek Hatshepsut helped Holocaust Project honor husband illuminated capital letter intellectual Ireland Italy Judy Chicago King known later leader literary lived male Margaret Maria marriage married Mary mother movement Museum MYTHICAL Natalie Barney needlework organized painter painting patron Petronilla de Meath philosopher place setting plate poems poet poetry political priestess published Queen reformer religious role Roman Rome Ruler runner back salon scholar sister social society soon Spain suffrage symbol tradition United warrior woman women artists women's rights writer wrote