Women Artists of Color: A Bio-Critical Sourcebook to 20th Century Artists in the Americas

(Hardback)

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Critical essays on 20th-century female artists of color focus on how these distinguished artists achieved success, what makes their work important both to the art world and to their specific communities, and what influences their work is likely to have in the future. The artists are representative of four ethnic groups: African American, Asian Pacific American, Latin American, and Native American. Parallels drawn explore the similarities and differences among the artists. The early feminist art movement of the 1970's concentrated on gender with less consideration given to race or class, yet to many artists of color, ethnicity factors significantly into the shaping of their identities and to the content of their art. Women artists of color have expanded the scope of protest art, fusing the past and current history with gender and race and deconstructing stereotypical mainstream representations of their gender and ethnic identities. This presentation of artists balances older and deceased artists with the younger, emerging artists. The artistic mediums span the gamut from traditional painting and sculpture to newer forms such as video, conceptual, and performance art. These essays will appeal to a wide audience of scholars and artists interested in women's studies, art history, cultural studies, multicultural art, and art criticism. Grouped by ethnicity, artists are presented in alphabetical order. Entries include biographical information and a listing of each artist's exhibitions. Numerous photographs enhance the text.

Reviews

.,."an important contribution to the materials available."-Aurora, The Journal of the History of Art
.,."is grounded in solid research is highly readable. Women Artists has been handsomely produced., and it is gratifying to see a publisher willing to put real resources toward supporting a book on women."-Women's Art Journal
.,."This book begins to fill a serious vacuum in biographical information on several categories of women artists: Latina, Asian American and Native American....The strength of this publication is the level of detail in the principal section, the entries for individual artists...this welcome contribution to a small body of biographical resources on female artists of color. It is particularly valuable to find so many entries on artists who have not appeared in any other source of this kind. I would recommend it for any library with a solid collection of art or art historical material."-Art Libraries Journal
...an important contribution to the materials available.-Aurora, The Journal of the History of Art
...is grounded in solid research is highly readable. Women Artists has been handsomely produced., and it is gratifying to see a publisher willing to put real resources toward supporting a book on women.-Women's Art Journal
...This book begins to fill a serious vacuum in biographical information on several categories of women artists: Latina, Asian American and Native American....The strength of this publication is the level of detail in the principal section, the entries for individual artists...this welcome contribution to a small body of biographical resources on female artists of color. It is particularly valuable to find so many entries on artists who have not appeared in any other source of this kind. I would recommend it for any library with a solid collection of art or art historical material.-Art Libraries Journal
[T]his excellent reference book will provide ammunition to battle those two social evils [racism and sexism]. It is an important contribution to art history and to women's studies.-MultiCultural Review
Providing a broad survey of the four different racial/ethnic categories in one volume makes it useful for comparison studies in not only art, but also multicultural and women's studies programs.-Reference & User Services Quarterly
The excellent index and lists of the vitae of these artists and commentators are valuable resource for the adult art-conscious (young and old) to study and visit.-American Reference Books Annual
"This excellent reference book will provide ammunition to battle those two social evils racism and sexism. It is an important contribution to art history and to women's studies."-MultiCultural Review
..."an important contribution to the materials available."-Aurora, The Journal of the History of Art
..."is grounded in solid research is highly readable. Women Artists has been handsomely produced., and it is gratifying to see a publisher willing to put real resources toward supporting a book on women."-Women's Art Journal
"[T]his excellent reference book will provide ammunition to battle those two social evils [racism and sexism]. It is an important contribution to art history and to women's studies."-MultiCultural Review
"Providing a broad survey of the four different racial/ethnic categories in one volume makes it useful for comparison studies in not only art, but also multicultural and women's studies programs."-Reference & User Services Quarterly
"The excellent index and lists of the vitae of these artists and commentators are valuable resource for the adult art-conscious (young and old) to study and visit."-American Reference Books Annual
..."This book begins to fill a serious vacuum in biographical information on several categories of women artists: Latina, Asian American and Native American....The strength of this publication is the level of detail in the principal section, the entries for individual artists...this welcome contribution to a small body of biographical resources on female artists of color. It is particularly valuable to find so many entries on artists who have not appeared in any other source of this kind. I would recommend it for any library with a solid collection of art or art historical material."-Art Libraries Journal

Author Bio

PHOEBE FARRIS (Powhatan) is Associate Professor of Art and Design and Women's Studies at Purdue University. She is the author and editor of Voices of Color: Art and Society in the Americas (1997) and the recipient of a Fulbright grant, NEH grant, and a Rockefeller Scholar in Residence.