The Feminist Art Project and the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles invite the public, leading scholars of feminist art, and artists to “Shares and Stakeholders” February 25. As part of the 100th annual College Art Association conference, the day of panels is led by Scripps College visiting lecturer of art Elana Mann, one of its organizers.
The annual gathering brings together artists, art historians, curators, and critics for a day of dialogue and performance and promotes excellence in art scholarship, creates discussion around contemporary art, and educates the public on feminist art.
Mann worked with co-organizer Audrey Chan and intern Tiffany Yau ’12 to create and implement their vision: inviting speakers, choosing panel topics, and organizing logistics.
“A wonderful aspect of working with The Feminist Art Project was the creative freedom they gave us,” Mann says. “Audrey and I are chairing our own panel on a subject we have thought a lot about: the involvement of men in feminist art.”
Feminism and feminist art always have been important to Mann. Having grown up in a feminist Jewish community, Mann was shocked by the anti-feminist attitudes she encountered upon leaving home. Feminist artists such as Eleanor Antin, Carolee Scheneeman, Mierle Laderman Ukele, and Louise Bourgeois inspired her to research art.
“Only later did I realize how few women artists are in the canon of art history, how the majority of my teachers were men, and what a tiny percentage of solo art shows highlight women artists,” she says.
Mann’s passion for feminist art is also what brought her to Scripps College.
“When I applied to Scripps, I was specifically excited to teach in the context of a women’s college, and in the context of the College’s strong feminist history,” she says. “I never anticipated how much I would learn from my students about studying feminist art.
“Teaching at Scripps has greatly deepened my inspiration, curiosity, and understanding of feminist art and how it is relevant today.”
Mann hopes that visitors will leave with a greater understanding of contemporary feminist art and how it connects with other academic fields. She encourages Scripps students, faculty, and staff to attend, believing they will be energized by the range and diversity of discussion.
“I think my favorite part of organizing the event will be experiencing the day itself! I can’t wait.”
“Shares and Stakeholders” begins at 9:00 a.m. on Saturday, February 25 at the MOCA. The event is free and open to the public. For more information, visit the event’s website.