The Women Who Changed Art Forever: Feminist Art-The Graphic Novel, is a well-packaged, well-put-together history of four pivotal figures in recent feminist art history. Written by Valentina Grande and illustrated by Eva Rosetti, this graphic novel although written and illustrated in an easy-to-understand way does not at all try to water down a deep issue.
The women featured are now considered powerhouses in the art world, but as you read through this work you will see that this was not always so. These women saw the way the art world locked up and packaged their gender and point of view and took a stand for females in the arts and beyond.
The women featured in this graphic novel are:
- Judy Chicago-A woman who restructured herself after grief and became an educator and an anchor in the 1970’s feminist art movement
- Faith Ringgold-Pioneering artist who was born in raised in the shadow of the Harlem Renissance, best known for her quiltwork
- Ana Mendieta-Cuban-American performance artist, best known her “earth-body” artwork. Well known member of A.I.R Gallery in New York
- The Guerrilla Girls– A masked movement of women that uses unique methods to call attention to the unerepresentaion and inclusion of women in art galleries and museums.
Although Grande’s writing is spot on, it is Rossetti’s artwork and masterful layout that give this graphic novel a rather innovative and seminal work. Each artist is given their chance to tell their story and show how they wound up on the paths they have taken. We also get taken along for the ride as the narrative, the artwork, and the layout all combine to bring us along on their journeys. Pain, triumph, and history are all equally shown to us and gives us the opportunity to become involved either as witnesses or fans of art history throughout the book.
The graphic novel is also well-referenced and other female artists are not only referenced but are also part of the true stories of these women’s lives. And due to the effort to connect to the reader throughout this book, you are free to come alongside with your own ideas, you can certainly empathize with the trials and triumphs of these remarkable women.
The main drawback to The Women Who Changed Art Forever, is if you don’t have a basic understanding of the art world, especially how it evolved in New York and California, some of the cultural impacts may be lost on the reader. Even with the explanations of how the art world in these areas was at one time heavily gated to females, and how these women broke through the glass gallery, some connections may not be made with the average reader. Despite that minor disconnect, however, this graphic novel is well-done documentation of pioneers within the feminist art movement.
By the numbers, scaled from 1 (lowest)-10 (highest).
Writing/ 9
Art/ 10
Package & layout/10
Accessibility/ 7-non-artworld involved 10-art involved
The graphic novel is available from laurenceking.com, and you can purchase it by navigating to or clicking the link here: https://www.laurenceking.com/product-category/books/art-books/
