Women in Sculpture – Dan Lam

Women face unique and ever-changing obstacles in the art world. Although things have gotten better since the 1800s, there are still many challenges that female sculptors must overcome. In the past, women were not even allowed to be educated at art and design schools. Many sculptors would not take on female apprentices, forcing women to go abroad in search of someone who would train them. Women of color were especially challenged because they faced not only sexism, but racism as well. Things have changed since the late 1800s and early 1900s, and women are now not only allowed to attend art schools, but attend them in higher numbers than men. However, this does not mean that female artists do not continue to face inequality on their path to becoming artists. “51% of visual artists in the United States are women; on average, they earn 81¢ for every dollar made by male artists. Women working across arts professions make almost $20,000 less per year than men…. A recent data survey of the permanent collections of 18 prominent art museums in the U.S. found that out of over 10,000 artists, 87% are male, and 85% are white…. Women make up a majority of professional art museum staff, but a survey by the Association of Art Museum Curators found women are underrepresented in leadership positions” (National Museum of Women in the Arts).

I happily noticed that, without any intention to do so, every one of my blog posts features a woman artist. Betye Saar, Kristen Visbal, and Kiki Smith are all female artists I admire. One female artist whose work I am interested in and who has overcome much of this inequality and shown in many galleries and been featured in many publications is Dan Lam. Lam creates dripping, organic, alien-like sculptures using polyurethane foam, acrylic paint and epoxy resin. “She starts with a shape and lets the foam takes its own course, guiding it ever so slightly. Afterwards, she chooses a color and dots the surfaces of each piece with paint to create even more visual rhythm” (Recinos, “These Drippy Sculptures”). Lam’s works juxtapose different textures and surfaces vary in an organic way. Although the pieces are actually hard, they look like they would be soft. Some areas bulge out from other areas and give them the appearance of living, moving things. Her work is reminiscent of the bulging piles created by Lynda Benglis, showing how female artists interact with and build on each others’ work, creating new, inventive works of art. I believe Lam’s work shows many themes that are common in contemporary sculpture. Her audience is not only those who visit her galleries and collect her work, but those who follow her on social media. The bright colors and interesting textures of her work have proven to be attractive even to those outside the art sphere, allowing her to gain a large internet following.

“Get the Facts.” National Museum of Women in the Arts, National Museum of Women in the Arts, 2019, Washington, D.C., https://nmwa.org/advocate/get-facts

Lam, Dan. “Current Work.” Dan Lam, https://www.bydanlam.com/

Recinos, Eva. “These Drippy Sculptures Look Like Alien Organisms.” Vice, 03 Apr. 2016, https://www.vice.com/en_uk/article/ez58yj/dan-lam-drippy-statues

GETTING SOFT
2018
Polyurethane foam, resin, acrylic
13.5” x 17” x 10.5”

IT LOOKS SO REAL
Polyurethane foam, resin, acrylic on wood panel
12 x 12 x 8 (inches)
2015

Betye Saar

Betye Saar’s exhibition at the New York Historical Society spoke about slavery and the oppression of African-American people, especially African-American women. A major visual theme throughout the exhibition was the presence of the washboard. Saar has an ongoing collection of washboards which she uses, according to the description printed on the wall of the exhibition space, as symbols of “the intersection of race, gender, class, and labor.” The symbolism of the washboard is reinforced by a poem printed on one of the walls, the first and last stanza of “A Song to a Negro Wash-Woman” by Langston Hughes. The narrator in the poem empowers and admires the wash-woman, saying “I have many songs to sing you / Could I but find the words.” The exhibition is one rectangular room with walls painted in a muted blue. The first thing the viewer sees is a collection of washboards on the wall. These are the only ones in the exhibition that don’t appear to have been altered by the artist. Text in this area explains the washboard’s symbolism and some of the other important elements and themes in the exhibition.

After entering this area, the viewer turns into the rest of the exhibition which is almost entirely comprised of altered washboards hung on the walls. Saar has been working on these pieces since the late 90s, and some even show two dates, indicating they had been revisited in more recent years. My favorite of the washboard pieces is Liberation (washboard) which is made from mixed media and an Aunt Jemima figure made of composition material on a vintage washboard. This piece shows a few elements that commonly appear in her work. In several of her pieces, she uses an Aunt Jemima figure, a symbol of African-American stereotyping, and gives her a gun or a bullet. In this piece, the figure is given crazed eyes, looking in two different directions, both adding to the stereotype of the batty old woman and giving her a powerful anger. She holds both a gun and a broom, symbolizing her duties and her rebellion against them. Her dress has an American flag on the front of it and the word “liberation” is written in an arc over her head, showing her desire for freedom and putting the blame on the United States for her oppression.

A few pieces in the exhibition were not washboards, one of which was A Loss of Innocence which is a mixed media tableau with a vintage dress, a chair, and a framed photo. This piece features a white christening gown which, from afar, looks like a normal gown. Upon closer inspection, the viewer can see that there are slurs against African-Americans stitched onto the dress. The dress, along with the chair and the photograph of an African-American baby girl, show how this innocent girl will grow up too soon and face discrimination because of her race. This exhibition was simultaneously empowering and saddening. It was a very powerful and moving experience. I would definitely recommend this show to anyone interested in assemblage or in social justice issues.

Public Art and Fearless Girl

Public art has a unique ability to spark dialogue. Because it is accessible to all, public art does not have the elitist connotation that gallery and museum art has. One does not have to make a special trip or pay money to see public art. It can be encountered in daily life, especially in New York City. Because of this high amount of exposure, public art also has the potential to become more well-known in circles outside of the art world. In today’s internet world, these pieces may be more likely to “go viral”. In my opinion, the most successful public art is that which portrays a message that is somewhat easily understood by a majority of the population. It invites the viewers to start a dialogue, ask questions, and think critically.

This is not to disparage public art that serves a more aesthetic purpose or art that doesn’t have an overt, easily understood message. I believe this type of art has an important place in society as well. This kind of art improves the lives of those who interact with it and exist in its site. It makes a space more pleasant to be in by beautifying it. It can act as a landmark around which people gather. A lot of artworks on Pratt’s campus function in this way as meeting places for students. However, I still believe the most effective use of public space is to display art that leads to interactive dialogue.

One example of a public work of art that expresses a strong message and has sparked many conversations, controversies, and questions is Fearless Girl by Kristen Visbal. This bronze sculpture depicts a young girl standing in a confident pose, with her hands on her hips, facing the famous Charging Bull at Bowling Green Park. “The statue was an immediate hit, drawing crowds who snapped selfies or stood alongside the bronze child and mimicked her pose: hands on her hips, slight smile on her face, and her skirt and ponytail seeming to blow in the breeze” (Stack). This sculpture was not intended to be a permanent piece, but its stay was extended due to popular support. It is now set to be moved to The New York Stock Exchange, but in its place there is a plaque inviting viewers to stand in her place and become the Fearless Girl.

This piece was met with a range of opinions. Mayor Bill de Blasio called it “a symbol of ‘standing up to fear, standing up to power, being able to find in yourself the strength to do what’s right’” (Stack). New York City public advocate Letitia James called Fearless Girl “a powerful symbol to women young and old,” adding that “empowering women shouldn’t be temporary – she must be a permanent piece of NYC” (Stack). On the other hand, Cara Marsh Sheffler wrote in The Guardian that the statue was “an act of ‘corporate feminism’ and a ‘marketing coup’ by State Street Global Advisors,” the commissioners of the statue (Stack). Arturo Di Modica, sculptor of Charging Bull said in an interview that “it was ‘a mistake’ for activists to see it as a symbol for women’s empowerment. He said he has put his sculpture in the financial district ‘for art’” (Stack). Regardless of what one believes about the sculpture’s message, it has undeniably caused people to think about gender equality and empowerment.

Bibliography

Stack, Liam. “Seen as Inspiration, Financial District’s ‘Fearless Girl’ Statue Isn’t Budging Yet.” New York Times, 28 Mar. 2017, p. A23(L). General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com.ezproxy.pratt.edu:2048/apps/doc/A487399872/ITOF?u=nysl_me_pml&sid=ITOF&xid=c6dfa744. Accessed 23 Feb. 2019.

Kristen Visbal’s “Fearless Girl” (photo by Anthony Quintano/Flickr)

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/fearless-girl-turns-1-but-her-fate-remains-undecided/

Lilith – Kiki Smith

Lilith by Kiki Smith, a German-born American artist, is on display at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The materials used in this piece are one of the reasons I find it so interesting. Although most of the sculpture is bronze, a very commonly used material, the eyes are made out of glass. Lilith’s gaze is piercing, and her pose suggests she is about to leap out at the viewer and attack. The surface of the bronze is rough and earthy, giving her the appearance of something wild and untamed. The way she is displayed is also quite unique for a museum setting. She hangs upside down in a stairwell at the Met, crouched against the wall. As one rounds the corner, she suddenly appears, startling the viewer with her frightening gaze and attack stance.

This sculpture’s menacing intensity makes sense when put into context with the biblical story of Lilith. Her story is not told in Genesis, but is a part of Jewish legend in the Alphabet of Sirach. The story is developed in detail later on in medieval texts attempting to fill in the gaps in biblical lore. Lilith was the first woman, before Eve. Eve was created from Adam’s rib to ease his loneliness after Lilith’s departure. Lilith was created along with Adam. According to the story, she refused to submit to Adam and left Eden. God sent angels to retrieve her, but she refused to return. They told her that her refusal meant that 100 of her children (demons) would die every day. She accepted these terms and promised in return that she would not harm any child with an amulet bearing the names or images of one of the angels. Lilith then spent her life seducing and torturing men and stealing children from their mothers. She is considered by most texts to be a demon, and some say she is the mother of all demons.

One of the reasons I love this sculpture is because I love the story of Lilith. Her story shows the anger that many women feel at having to submit to the will of men. She is an example of the results of that anger being let out upon the world. When I look at the sculpture of Lilith, I see a woman ready to defend herself against the world’s hatred. The rough, textured appearance of her skin and the intensity of her gaze show that the world has been cruel to her and turned her into a monster. Lilith was once a human and became a demon as a result of her experiences on earth. I sympathize with her to some degree because I don’t think she was inherently evil. She rebelled against Adam’s, and to some degree God’s, attempt to control her.