Artists working abstractly can use either illusionistic or physical texture in their works to draw attention to a particular area of interest.
Judy Chicago [b. 1939: Chicago, Illinois]
colored pencil on paper
11 1/2 by 14 1/2 inches
Anonymous Donor
Collection of the Illinois State Museum
Chicago’s landmark installation project The Dinner Party is a touchstone for women artists and anyone interested in the changing role of domestic craft as it relates to “high art.” Begun in 1974, the project sought to reclaim women’s presence in a world history dominated by men.
Thirty-nine place settings — each designed specifically for a historical “woman of achievement” (Chicago’s term) — were set onto an equilateral triangle table measuring 48 feet to a side. The table was seated in a floor of 999 porcelain tiles inscribed with names of women who the artist believed provided the foundation for the achievements of those who came later. The delicate petal-like forms used here address an interest in an awakening sexual self-awareness that was central to the feminist movement of the period.