Deconstructing Janson
Multi-component project uses cutting, erasing, and collaging to highlight the lack of women artists in Janson's History of Art and related imagery from the 1950s to the present. Deconstructing Janson examines the sexist language and omission of female artists from the art historical canon. Photography courtesy of Steve Mann. Plinth by Greg Lawing.
Project consists of 5 components:
Deconstructing Janson: First printed in 1962, Janson’s “History of Art” didn't contain a single female artist until 1986. The current printing includes 45 women, with only seven women of color. To create a visual representation of these omissions, I've removed all the male artists from the 10 lb. tome. The final book, now weighing only 2 lbs, 5 oz, is displayed in a glass-topped pedestal, collapsing and barely standing up.
Obit: I’ve reproduced the 1982 New York Times obituary of H. W. Janson. Using red annotations, I’ve called out the revisionist history and spotlighted how Janson viewed art history through a Eurocentric white male lens.
Chronology of Painters: I’ve excised the names of 341 male painters from the fold-out chart Creators of Western Art, A Chronology of Painters from 1250 - 1970. Only 2 women painters remain.
13 Reasons Why There Are No Great Male Artists: I’ve inverted sexist statements by male artists, curators, critics, and historians by replacing the words “women” or “female” with “man” or “male”. Stacks of bright pink calling cards are propped on floating shelves for viewers to take away as many as they’d like. Gallery attendant replaces cards each day.
Hedda: The famous 1951 Life Magazine photo “The Irascibles” featured 15 abstract expressionist artists. 14 men, 1 woman (Hedda Sterne). Through collage, cutting, erasure, and picotage, I’ve reworked the photo to highlight the imbalance and explore the exclusion of women artists.
