Doctor,
Ege University, Bornova, Izmir, Turkiye
elizabethhenrietakrupa@gmail.com
ART AS ACTIVISM: CONTEMPORARY FEMINIST ARTISTIC REPRESENTATIONS OF ECONOMIC INEQUALITY
Abstract. This article examines how feminist art critiques economic inequality, with a focus on unpaid labor, professional barriers, and economic marginalization, and argues that feminist art not only scrutinizes instances of economic inequality but also emerges as a potential transformative force, capable of inciting systemic change through its unique ability to engage audiences emotionally and intellectually. By engaging with feminist art theory and activism, the study highlights how feminist women artists employ visual and performance art to expose systemic inequities and amplify the voices of marginalized women. Through case studies, including Mierle Laderman Ukeles’s Maintenance Art Manifesto, Mary Kelly’s Post-Partum Document, Barbara Kruger’s Your Body is a Battleground, Andrea Bowers’s installations on gender equity, Ana Teresa Fernández’s Borrando la Frontera (Erasing the Border), and Martha Rosler’s Semiotics of the Kitchen, the article illustrates the transformative, social and economic, potential of feminist art. These works challenge societal norms, provoke critical discourse, and foster empathy, demonstrating the power of art as a catalyst for social change. The present study employs a multidisciplinary approach, incorporating feminist art theory, socio-economic analysis, and cultural critique to explore the intersection of art, feminism, and activism. While acknowledging the limitations of art as a tool for systemic reform, the study argues and aims to manifest that feminist art remains a vital medium for addressing gendered economic disparities. The conclusion calls for further research into digital feminist art and intersectional perspectives, emphasizing the evolving role of art in advocating for equity and justice.
Key words : Feminist art, economic inequality, unpaid labor, activism, gender equity.
JEL classification: Z11,J16