Chicago’s The Dinner Party: A Step Back in Feminist Art

Chicago’s The Dinner Party: A Step Back in Feminist Art

The purpose of the project is to pay homage to women throughout history that have been overlooked in their contributions to humanity. Chicago said as much, describing her intention “to end the ongoing cycle of omission in which women were written out of the historical record” (Reilly). It is often said that history is written by the victors. More often than not, that it is a record of male hegemony where women are only mentioned as far as their support for masculine power affords. Chicago’s work seeks to correct the disparity, even turn the historical record on its head as she honors women alone. When explaining the 999 names that decorate the interior tiles, the artist explains that “each name on the floor is a symbol for the thousands of women whose achievements have been lost to history” (Chicago, 21:00-21:08). By focusing a feminist lens on the prominent female figures in history, Chicago effectively provides a much needed, more balanced revision furthering the audience’s awareness of their contributions.

            When studying the symbolism contained within the mixed-medium piece, there seems to be a contradiction with feminist tenants the work is said to promote. Each of the plates (except that of Sojourner Truth) is painted with a vulva themed motif. This repetitive obsession with anatomical elements is at odds with the writings of great feminist minds like Betty Friedan (The Feminist Mystique) that seeks to break from Freudian reliance on “sexual fixations” and mere biological function (Friedan, 170). I am not alone in finding the artist’s exaggerated use of genitals disturbing. Artist Cornelia Parker wanted to see the work “binned” adding "Too many vaginas for my liking. I find it all about Judy Chicago's ego rather than the poor women she's supposed to be elevating – we're all reduced to vaginas, which is a bit depressing. It's almost like the biggest piece of victim art you've ever seen” (Hoby). Friedan wanted women to “fulfil their potentialities as human beings, a need which is not solely defined by their sexual role” (Friedan, 133). By centering each setting on a plate, and each plate on female anatomy, it is as if Chicago is centering her whole appreciation of each historical female on their common genitalia and surrendering an important place within the work to the very things other feminist like Friedan were working to correct. The plates could have depicted unique individual elements of the subjects contribution instead and the work overall would have benefitted exponentially. Sacajawea might have pictured her care for her child taken with her on the “Corps of Discovery.” Emily Dickenson’s plate might have featured a quill or writing desk. Instead, the things that make them unique are overlooked for the commonality of anatomy that they share; an affront that I think Friedan would have issue with.

Works Cited

Hoby, Hermione. "Michael Landy: Modern Art Is Rubbish." The Guardian. Guardian News and      Media, 16 Jan. 2010. Web. 17 Nov. 2016.

Reilly, Maura. "Tour and Home." Brooklyn Museum: Tour and Home. Elizabeth A. Sackler             Center for Feminist Art, n.d. Web. 17 Nov. 2016.