Tatiana Supports the Arts

Category Archives: feminism

“There has never been a first-rank woman artist.”

July 8, 2008

ARE YOU KIDDING ME?

So says the critic Brian Sewell, and the art market seems to agree, with men’s work commanding millions more at auction. By Andrew Johnson

I think Sarah Thronton made the best point in this article when she explained, “You cannot equate the monetary value of art with the aesthetic worth of the artist. One would expect the art world to be more egalitarian. It was only in 2004 that a living woman, Marlene Dumas, broke through the $1m barrier. At the top end of the market, the people who can afford to spend a lot are entrepreneurial men. And they buy entrepreneurial artists – Warhol, Hirst, Koons – artists they perhaps identify with. Second, it’s about volume. Women don’t tend to have factories of assistants churning out work. If you want to boost an artist’s price you need to bring their work to auction again and again. Women don’t usually work in that way.”

If I were a multi-millionaire, I would probably buy pieces from artists I identify with as well, but I wouldn’t exclusively purchase art by women. Interesting article. Interesting to see that there remain to be ignorant people in the art world.

Also posted in contemporary art, museum – 1 Comment

Booger is a feminist too!

March 25, 2008

In case you were ever wondering what a feminist looks like, here’s a neat video from the Feminist Majority Foundation in honor of Women’s History Month. Enjoy!

Also posted in activism – 0 Comments

“The Spice Girls Killed Feminism, The Spice Girls Killed Romance”… WTF?

December 18, 2007

So, 2 weekends ago I saw the Spice Girls at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas with Cathy, Kendra and my sister. It was one of the best concerts I’ve ever experienced in my life. The venue was full of girls and women and really hot gay boys. It was a dance-a-thon that I wish had never ended. The happiness and love in the air was palpable.

Today Cathy found this article written by a supposed “feminist”. I think this woman is full of shit. She’s not a feminist, she’s a prude.

http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,22890676-5007191,00.html

I don’t think the Spice Girls are anti-feminist just because they have had makeovers, or because they like to be sexy. I think women should be able to do whatever they want, regardless of their age. The author of this piece implies way too much about the young Spice Girls following. If she was an adult in the 1970s, which she mentions at the end of the article, then she has no right to assume the position of a “kid” who listened to the spice girls 10 years ago. Am I bulimic? Do I spend money that I don’t have on designer clothing? Do I throw away my inhibitions and have skanky Saturday nights? No, absolutely not.

I think ultimately the Spice Girls have taught us all (boys and girls) to respect ourselves, and not care about what people say; know how to have a good time, and always believe in the good of mankind. How is that harmful?

Anyway, here’s a cute video of Les Spice Girls from the Victoria’s Secret fashion show. Enjoy!

Also posted in fashion, music – 4 Comments

Sometimes Size Does Not Matter

November 7, 2007

I’ve been wanting to see this show ever since I found out it was going to be at San Diego State. I missed that boat, but luckily for me, the show was also traveling to good ole’ Cal State Los Angeles. I’ve never been to Cal State LA, and I must say, their Luckman Arts complex is gorgeous. Me gusta mucho. I love how accessible it is from the parking structure, and how easy it is to find from the freeway. Two thumbs up from a tourist’s perspective. (Everytime I go to LA I feel like a tourist). So anyway, going on as we speak…

The Graphic Imperative: International Posters for Peace, Social Justice & the Environment, 1965-2005

Where?
Cal State Los Angeles
Luckman Gallery
5151 State University Dr.
Los Angeles, CA 90032-8116
(323) 343-6604

When?
October 27-December 15, 2007
Gallery Hours: Mon-Thurs. and Sat. 12-5pm

How much?
FREE, except for the dollar that you’ll pay for parking… which is a bargain for parking in LA.

I STILL don’t get it.
What initially drew me to this exhibit? Two words: Guerilla Girls! I love seeing their pieces at different exhibits. They’re so inspiring, I would never pass up an opportunity to experience their work up close. The aura of powerful women is always palpable. I know their pieces are posters, and it’s not exactly the same as viewing a painting, because it’s not one of a kind… but I think that’s what’s so great about this exhibit, and about the graphic arts in general. Graphic art, for me, has so much cultural influence and resonates loudly irregardless of which form it takes; whether it’s a billboard, graffiti, a sticker, or in this case, a poster. It’s a piece of art that is utilized in the mainstream of everyday and in turn may be discussed outside of the political arena, making these issues everyone’s problem instead of just the government’s. It’s kind of sneaky if you think about it. We are advertising a social movement like we’re advertising a consumer good. If you capture someone’s attention, the product becomes more popular, and then more people will jump on the bandwagon. Well, that’s in the utopia for social movements in my mind, but I guess in the real world it’s a little more difficult.

The Graphic Imperative exhibits 111 posters that have served to create awareness of social issues or injustices that existed, and in turn created a discourse to try to make change happen. The exhibit includes posters from the past 40 years; four decades that were critical to many issues such as unfair labor, racism, violence against women, AIDS, the environment, and many more.

The Luckman Art Gallery at CSLA is pretty small space, but an average size for a University art gallery. Although the exhibit is small its message is anything but.

Also posted in 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, activism, contemporary art, exhibit, gallery, graphic art, los angeles, posters – 0 Comments

It’s a Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood

August 30, 2007

I feel these days that my neighborhood not only consists of the families who live in my apartment complex, or the shopping center across the street, but also (oddly enough) my bookmarked favorites in my internet browser (Firefox, of course). I have come to know these sites so well I feel like we have become very good acquaintances. Actually I know the content of these sites better than I know my actual neighbors (I don’t even know their names. But I do know that they need to keep their cats inside so they can stop pooping everywhere.) Let me introduce you to some of my favorite “neighbors”:

The Feminist Art Project: A site that helps encourage everyone to learn more about feminist art and become more aware of openings and exhibits across the country. Also, I REALLY REALLY love the Timeline.

Guerilla Girls: I think of the Guerilla Girls as kind of the super heroines in the art world. Their posters and other media efforts have helped the position of women and people of color gain more attention and the respect that they deserve in the art world. They’re so effing amazing I can’t even stand it. I’ll be posting an entry dedicated to them coming soon.

A Soviet Poster A Day: – If I could leap atop buildings and scream out loud how much I love Soviet posters I would. But 1.) I am afraid of heights, and 2.) I would probably be 51-50’d to the local mental institution. So, I’ll scream it here. I LOVE SOVIET POSTERS. Why? Well, I’m half Russian, and I feel an affinity towards anything Rooski. Also I love anything constructivist/dada/avant garde. Russians are great graphic designers. So check out this guy’s blog and learn why.

A Public Space: I first came across this publication this past April at the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books at UCLA. They were an exhibitor, and their mission definitely is something I support. It’s always fun coming across new writers who can challenge literature, fiction and poetry lovers to embrace something new. New styles. New ideas. New stories.

Lastly I want to share my favorite graffiti/street art sites. I got into graffiti by way of researching logos. I don’t have the balls to actually graffiti on walls, but I like looking at it. It’s amazing comparing the different styles from artist to artist and from country to country. If you’re sick of your sterile environment, here are some sites to make your world feel a little more colorful… and badass:

Taiwan: http://taichung-graffiti.blogspot.com/
Lebanon: http://lebgraffiti.blogspot.com/
Everywhere: http://www.streetsy.com/