The Woman and the World of Contemporary Art and in particular – the Printmaking
Art.
Is Printmaking going to be more and more female in Bulgaria and worldwide?!
In last 20th century the female artists in Bulgaria have been only few, but
to the end of the century and now days the situation totally changes: women
studying and graduating Art Academy, Art Schools and Colleges are more than
men…
15 female printmaking artists from 15 countries are showing their works not
to fight against male art and artists and art lovers, but only to compare how
different or/and how similar is their creativity…from Japan and New Zeeland
trough Chile, Canada, USA and United Arab Emirates, coming to Europe (England,
Finland, The Netherlands, France) and to the Balkans – Romania, Serbia and Montenegro,
Greece, and last but not least – Bulgaria…
Shelagh Atkinson, Scotland
http://www.axisweb.org/seCVPG.aspx?ARTISTID=2861
Judith Klugerman, Canada
http://www.lessedra.com/view_artist.php?aid=249
Maria Kapteijns, The Netherlands
http://www.mariakapteijns.nl/
Yuka Oshita, Japan
http://www.lessedra.com/japan_project/Yuka_Ooshita.htm
Rebecca Thomson, New Zealand
http://www.lessedra.com/view_artist.php?aid=437
Erica Gutenschwager, Greece
http://www.lessedra.com/view_artist.php?aid=162
I have given much thought on the inequalities between men and women not just
as in regards to art but life in general. I feel we have lost a sense of who
we are and what role each of us must play in this world. We have let commercial
gain and materialism cloud our jugement. Life, as in art requires three basic
elements: balance, harmony and rythm. But these three elements have no gender.
A work of art is no better or worse because a man or a woman has created it.
It exists because a person, regardless of gender, religion, culture, or race
has allowed themselves the freedom of expression. What is important is to recognize
the quality and simple beauty in a work of art and to support those artists,
men and women, equally alike. But in a male dominated society these words seem
utopian and perhaps naive. None the less, each of us is reponsible for our actions
and as artists I feel we have an added responsibility because we have been given
an important gift that we should not waist. Womens role in art has always been
important and with opportunities for exposure such as this exhibition we able
to recognize womens abilities but also their similarties to men and that in
the end we are all one, struggling simply to survive as nature struggles to
keep all things in balance.
Katia Sepulveda Barra, Chile
Dear Georgi Lessedra:
I am very glad to keep staying in touch with you. Your proposals are the
avant-garde of contemporary Printmaking. From a female standpoint, I would
like to say that a lot is revealed in this exchange; considering that 15
women from different parts of the world are participating. It gives us the
sensation that we belong, even for an amount of time, to multiple languages,
that are very constructive for the contuinity of the female imaginary.
I wish you the best of luck.
Maureen Hubbard Cribbs, USA
http://www.lessedra.com/view_artist.php?aid=370
Maria Nichita, Romania
www.marianichita.go.ro
When a woman accepts the risks of using toxic materials, to see her hands roushed
by solvents and ink, that means she is in love of printmaking.
In my prints, I express the tension of my soul. My works are not narratives,
but suggestives. They are the visualisation of the inner world of emotions:
black and white means love and hate, fear and courrage, hapiness and sadness.They
expresse the freedom, the questions, the humour and the hope of the moment.
Rada Selakovic, Serbia and Montenegro
Printmaking is the exciting game! Each time, lifting a print is a surprise even
for us. The moment, which happened in touch between the plate and paper, is
a flash!
There is no male or female art: there is ’only’ art itself. The distinction
exists in a sense of
diversity, diferent quality of sensibility, of sensuality.
In Serbian art the women have been the carriers of development and invention:
careful, quite and passionate - ’ underground’ Is it changing now ?!
Lilia Eftimova, Bulgaria
http://store2.data.bg/eftimova/
Sandy Sykes, England
http://www.uwe.ac.uk/amd/cfpr/sykes.htm
A World of Women Speaking Through Print
Women usually have something to say. They enjoy making connections on a
local basis and even more on an international basis. They communicate across
the language barriers with a minimum of words, a great deal of laughter and
through hand and eye gestures. Printmaking is a brilliant way of speaking
visually, of raising common concerns about their daily lives, about history
and about the state of the world into which they bring children. The
versatility of the means of printmaking appeals to the inventive skills
within women and they enjoy the mixing of method and material which is
possible in this specialism. The practical and methodical aspects of print
appeal to the organised side of their natures and at the same time lay the
foundation which allows them to rebel and break all the rules and barriers
which the discipline might seem to impose. In this way they prove that they
can do what they like and say what they feel in imagery close to their
hearts. The final advantage of printmaking is in editioning when they are
allowed to repeat themselves endlessly without a single finger of accusation
being pointed. The repeated images are able to travel to all
corners of the earth and to make links with images from many women
displaying many thoughts.
Minna Sora, Finland
http://kotisivu.mtv3.fi/sora/index.htm
Caroline Ford, France
http://www.lessedra.com/view_artist.php?aid=112
I have never worried about being a woman artist as distinct from a man artist.
I have always felt as though I have been treated equally - and even been
advantaged in some ways. I don’t know whether being self taught helped as
well - I had no preconceptions about attitudes and expectations. From early
on I had work in exhibitions worldwide so it wasn’t only in England I found
a lack of prejudice.
I was young and living in London U.K. in the 1960s and 1970s (I was born in
1941) when the feminist movement was at its peak but felt no need to become
involved, at least not as an artist. I was not interested in promoting the
mother/woman/artist as an image, I was only interested in getting on with
my work and letting it speak for itself.
The only disadvantage I do feel, as a sculptor as well as a printmaker, is
in lack of physical strength and to some extent have had to adapt my
working methods because of this.
Abeer A. Tahlak, United Arab Emirates
http://www.lessedra.com/view_artist.php?aid=40
Comments about the the exhibition:
Highlighting contemporary women in printmaking is a great opportunity
for printmakers like me to be exposed and introduced to the
international community of contemporary printmakers. The popularity of
printmaking in the Middle East is increasing due to the rapid changes
occurring through the availability of studies in art and design
nowadays. This show will give the audience a chance to recognize that
there are some art and design movement occurring in the Middle East.
Thanks a lot once again on this opportunity,
Жените и съвременното графично изкуство
15 художнички от 15 държави
4 октомври – 24 октомври 2005
Шела Аткинсон, Шотландия
Джудит Клугерман, Канада
Мария Каптейнс, Холандия
Юка Ошита, Япония
Ребека Томсън, Нова Зеландия
Ерика Гутеншвагер, Гърция
Катя Супелведа Бара, Чили
Морийн Хубард Крибс, САЩ
Мария Никита, Румъния
Рада Селакович, Сърбия и Черна гора
Лилия Ефтимова, България
Санди Сайкс, Англия
Мина Сора, Финландия
Каролине Форд, Франция
Абир Тахлак, Обединени Арабски Емирства
Жената (може би още по-точно – женското начало) и съвременния свят на изкуството
и в частност - графиката...
Феминизира ли се графичното изкуство в България а и в световен мащаб?!...
Ако само през миналия 20 век жените на изкуството в България бяха незначителна
част от художниците като цяло, то както в края на века така и днес картината
е съвсем друга: жените учещи и завършващи изкуство преобладават...
15 жени художнички графички от 15 държави показват свои произведения малък и
голям формат, не за да се противопоставят на мъжката част колеги и ценители
на изкуството, а по – скоро да съпоставят своите търсения и открития, за да
видим приликите и разликите от Япония и Нова Зеландия, през Чили, Канада, САЩ
и Обединените арабски емирства, идвайки до Европа (Англия, Финландия, Холандия,
Франция), на Балканите – Румъния, Гърция, Сърбия и Черна гора и накрая, но не
на последно място – България.