Contemporary Women in Visual Art Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Contemporary Women in Visual Art - Essay Example However, there is increasing war for fair representation of women in visual art. In the article â€Å"China’s Female Artists Quietly Emerge† by Cotter, this issue is deeply discussed. This paper presents a critical analysis of this article by evaluating its approach, relevant insights, authenticity, viewpoints, and authoritativeness among others. The place of women has been greatly contested in the recent times. As the article presents it, women in China have had no any chance in Chinese visual art for a long time despite their profound talents in different fields of visual arts. Having reached a breaking point, they are presenting their anger by openly defying social norms that enclose men into the world of arts. Cotter uses a rich mix of literature techniques to present her point of view. The article begins with a very interesting and captivating introduction that directly catches the mind of the reader. From the word go, the issue discussed within the article is intr oduced. Xiao Lu demonstrates her anger and protest in a national art gallery by shooting at a mirrored sculpture. It is actually ironical that this was the first Chinese government sponsored exhibition and did not address the role of women in visual art. What she had done was a symbolic explosion that expressed protest among the international art enthusiasts and critics. Indeed Li Xianting, an art critic, criticized the incident as a precursor to the infamous Tiananmen Square protests of 1989. The big issue presented by the article is the position given to women in contemporary art particularly in china. Women, however talented, are rarely given a chance to display their artistic talent, especially in visual arts. Men always take the first preference. Artwork done by women is a rare commodity to find even in large and modernized social settings such as Beijing. Although the article does not have a reference list, most of the information can be traced back to the original source. For instance, the event on the article correlates with later happenings as claimed in the article. A follow up on Tiananmen Square protests of 1989 shows that Xiao Lu protest event at the national gallery could indeed have been a precursor of the Tiananmen Square protests. Further investigation proves that Li Xianting is indeed claimed to be a Godfather of Chinese contemporary avant-garde art. Yin Xuizhen is indeed a contemporary art enthusiast as claimed in the article. These plus other examples prove that though the article does not have a reference list, the information contained therein is authentic and trustworthy. However, the failure to include references in the article has given the author a great deal of flexibility in expressing the main ideas. The main idea is developed from a neutral point without much influence from works of other authors. It can be claimed that the article is written in an idealistic point of view. The article takes on a woman character and develops her c ontribution to the agenda of contemporary visual artwork. The contributions of contemporary visual artists, such as Ms. Xiao, Lin Tianmiao, Yin Xuizhen, and Lu Qing, have been well elaborated, and this expresses the viewpoint clearly. The article presents the issue of contemporary artists in a time in history when gender equality and affirmative actions have received heightened attention. Interestingly, Beijing happens to be a global symbol regarding representation of women issues. The fourth world conference on women took

Knowledge of American Historysocialcultural, economic, literary, Essay

Knowledge of American Historysocialcultural, economic, literary, political, and religious changes that have occurred in American History over the time periods 18651992 - Essay Example These well-intentioned ideals would evolve into hate groups, whose mission was to control elected offices through the intimidation of voters and election fraud.built on violence. Taking the law into their own hands, they pledged to protect their property, life, and well-being in the face of inadequate government institutions and a legal system that they viewed as hostile. Groups, such as the KKK, would soon succumb to a power hungry leadership that was driven by ethnic fanaticism and racial hatred. Their priority would soon shift from regulating the social order to white supremacy. Since the Civil War, white supremacists and their organizations have openly denied constitutional rights to minority citizens, instilled fear, and advocated extreme violence, and now occupy legitimate positions within the highest ranks of the American political and social system. The KKK emerged after the Civil War as the most powerful, and well organized, white supremacist group of that era. Confederate soldiers, returning home from the war, were driven into a prolonged period of forced inactivity. Lacking capital for agriculture, and denied participation in business or the professions, a group of young men formed the KKK in Pulaski Tennessee in June 1866 as a social group to share ideas and promote their local economy (Wilson & Lester, 1884, p399). The KKK spread quickly throughout the South with an escalating membership that was propelled by bitter feelings of swelling resentment towards the freed slaves that lingered after the war's end. Using intimidation and violence, the KKK's primary goal was to control political offices in the South by preventing African-Americans and their sympathizers from expressing their recently acquired constitutional right to vote. The KKK was infamous for its 'Midnight Rides', in which they would ride through the countryside , masked, and violently attack their opposition with beatings, arson, and lynchings. Their membership and ritual were highly secretive, which not only added to their mystique and fear, but also gave them an additional layer of protection from public scrutiny (Wilson & Lester, 1884, p.400). Though membership lists were not kept, and few official records were maintained, it is estimated that by the 1920s Klansmen and their sympathizers numbered in the millions (McClymer, 2001). The power of the KKK's membership fueled the racial discord of the 1920s and made it possible to elect KKK candidates to some of the highest political offices in the country. The peak membership of the 1920s would dissipate as the KKK, and other white power groups, experienced a steady decline in membership due to social pressures and public perceptions. The KKK suffered a series of financial setbacks, such as a federal tax judgement that prohibited them from forming a national chapter, and lawsuits that deprived the national KKK from the right to own property. Over time, the members migrated to approximately 300 different organizations, which have 25,000 hard-core ideological activists that support the white supremacist movement (Carlie, 2002).1 These organizations have tended to act less violently, though they have continued to preach an agenda that includes violent revolution. This accompanies a conflicting philosophy that includes biblical scripture and Christian