Artist Report: Judy Chicago

 

 Judy Chicago’s countless bodies of work make it difficult to evaluate. Her start as a primarily feminist artist switched after meeting Donald Woodman (her then husband in 1985). Chicago (formally known as Judy Cohen) started to explore her Jewish identity more when the concept of mirage arose with Woodman. She and Woodman travelled to Europe to trace the steps of the Holocaust. Of course this, the Holocaust, has jewish influence within her work “The Holocaust Project: From Darkness into Light”. However, I believe that even her earlier works resemble and portray her Jewish identity. 

Judy Chicago and Miriam Schapiro’s 1972 Womanhouse project was intended to portray a strictly feminist installation. I was particularly drawn to the menstruation bathroom. In traditional Judaism (more so that of more religious sects) menstruation is viewed as uncleanly, and men are not supposed to sleep with their wives during this time of the month. Womanhouse portrays menstruation as both empowering for women and still unclean. 

The Birth Project (1984) combines elements of both Chicago's feminist and Jewish heritage once again. Here we may just see the power of women through birth but Chicago takes it a step farther in her piece "The Creation". She draws from "Bereshit" (Meaning in the beginning, in Hebrew) or Genesis (also meaning in the beginning). Chicago uses these images of creation in this specific piece. Animals and light are seen on the right side of the image drenched in color while the left side resembles more of these vaginal shapes seen throughout other "Birth Project" pieces. 

 

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