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National Museum of Women in the Arts opens Judy Chicago: Circa 75

The National Museum of Women in the Arts (NMWA) presents Judy Chicago: Circa ’75, on view January 17–April 13, 2014. The exhibition features 13 paintings, drawings, sculptures and mixed media works by innovative feminist artist Judy Chicago (b. 1939).

Judy Chicago, Virginia Woolf (preparatory drawing for The Dinner Party), 1976 (detail). Mixed media on paper, 24 x 36 in. National Museum of Women in the Arts, Gift of Mary Ross Taylor in honor of Elizabeth A.
Judy Chicago, Virginia Woolf (preparatory drawing for The Dinner Party), 1976 (detail). Mixed media on paper, 24 x 36 in. National Museum of Women in the Arts, Gift of Mary Ross Taylor in honor of Elizabeth A.
Throughout her career, Chicago has been creating art with the intention of influencing and changing societal norms. Her iconic body of work from the 1970s, including preparatory art for The Dinner Party, demonstrates her firm belief in the power of art to highlight women’s creativity and overcome traditional gender inequalities. This exhibition honors Chicago’s commitment to feminist ideals on the occasion of her 75th birthday.

“Judy Chicago has been a friend and ally to the National Museum of Women in the Arts since its opening in 1987,” said NMWA Director Susan Fisher Sterling. “Given Chicago’s commitment to honoring women, it is fitting that she be fêted at the sole museum in the world devoted to the creative contributions of women.”

Born Judy Cohen in Chicago, this pioneering feminist artist jettisoned her birth and married surnames in 1970, legally adopting the neutral “Chicago.” This act of independence ushered in a decade of artistic innovation and exploration. This exhibition examines a selection of her art that paralleled and influenced the U.S. feminist movement of the 1970s. – See more at: http://nmwa.org/