Printmaker,
I too have always observed male and female artists and have seen a
difference in their works. I haven't noticed much difference in the colors
they use except when they use a preferred color of décor. I do see that
women tend to be more rounded in their painting, the only time a man uses
curves is when he draws a female nude.

But what about women, can they write from a mans perceptive? Women are
allowed to be unisex with allot less prejudice than men are. When a man
shows feminine qualities he's usually taunted and sneered at, making him out
to be less of a man which the male dominated society has established as not
to be looked on so kindly, and have usually resulted in acts of violence. A
woman on the other hand can wear pants and walk freely about without even
being teased as a tom-boy. In today's time, many women have experience much
of the males life and responsibilities, from being the bread winner to
casual sex, yet men haven't been given the same exceptions from the rules.
Is this sexism reversed with females and males teeming up to make the rules,
or is the world still just feelings its way through a new awareness of
political correctness? And is art expected to comply and become politically
correct?




On Sat, 28 Jul 2001 19:15:03 +1000, Printmaker wrote:

  
  Hi Annie
  
  I'm currently about half way through "A Woman's Voice", by
  Jenny Digby,
  Uni of Qld Press, 1996 ISBN 0 7022 2732 3
  
  Its a series of interviews with various Australian women
  poets and much of what you are raising here is discussed.
  I've found it very stimulating.
  
  Its been my observation, comparing art by men and art by
  women, that there is a male and a female aesthetic that must
  in some way be related to physical difference and means of
  perception, thought etc. (exactly how is the thesis I have
  yet to write) Very generally speaking, males prefer
  blues/greys/neutrals and square gridded forms; females
  pinks, oranges, violets and rounded forms. You can test this
  at your local art gallery. It shows up well in abstract art.
  Compare Frankethaler and O'Keefe with their male
  counterparts for eg. The better artists are the ones who go
  beyond this difference, and the women who apply a male
  aesthetic to their work are the ones who gain better
  recognition.
  
  I've also noted that the prevaling aesthetic is a masculine
  one, for obvious reasons. With some complications wrt the
  gay component of our tastemakers.
  
  I first picked up on this at art school when I noticed that
  words such as pretty, decorative, delicate etc were used as
  derogatory terms, and have been researching on it since.
  
  Josephine


.:~*~:. .:~*~:. .:~*~:. .:~*~:. .:~*~:. .:~*~:. .:~*~:. .:~*~:. .:~*~:.
I was put on this earth to accomplish a certian number of things. Right now
I'm so far behind I'll never die.
     Calvin & Hobbes





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