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Art Talk – Allow Yourself To Be The Artist You Are

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Episode 43 of Art Talk is all about one word: Allowing. It is a word often used, however, how much do we as artists or women, put that to practice? Do you allow Yourself To Be The Artist You Are?

Recently, I received a book recommendation and as an avid reader, I immediately downloaded it to my kindle. The Story Of Art Without Men. Wow, as a portrait artist with the mission to empower women, and as an art historian, I was definitely interested. Just the introduction was an eye-opener.

A study in 2019 showed that in US Museums 87% of the artworks were by men, predominantly (85%) white men. Only 1% of the collection of the National Gallery in London is by women. Research the author did in 2022 asking people how many female artists they knew, most came to a maximum of three and youngsters 18-24 none because it wasn’t taught in schools.

This alone made my jaw drop, and then think about black female artists, how about them? Hence why I found out that most women in general do not like to see themselves on the wall and how women are defined by the male gaze. Simultaneously female artists were shoved under the carpet because men only referred to and still refer to themselves. I wondered how allowing, the word I want to discuss, falls into this topic.

That women allowed themselves to be artists is clear. To me, a profound example is Edmonia Lewis, who was of African-native-American descent. Bullied severely and accused falsely (racism) she stepped up for herself. She noticed a statue and said that she could do that too. She went to Rome, received lessons and became well known. Yet, art history never talks about her.

Camille Claudel, sculptor, protégé and mistress of Rodin, worked on many of his sculptures. When he dumped her she went on, totally and full of passion. Yet, her passion was seen as a mental disorder, women didn’t sculpt and she ended up in an asylum. The biopic made of this shows a Camille who behaves madly to emphasise this as she wasn’t well and put rightfully into that asylum. I bet there are way more of these stories in the history of art.

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