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Judy Chicago The Dinner Party

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Judy Chicago The Dinner Party
Displayed eloquently in a space that unselfishly portrays a sense of pride and strength sits Judy Chicago’s installation of 39 elaborate place settings on a triangular table. Anyone that walks into the space is immersed in the beautiful place settings illuminated against the black walls that surround it. The ambience provides a bold message urging to reach the viewer. Judy Chicago’s The Dinner Party is the first epic feminist artwork significant in symbolizing the history of women in western civilization.
As I first entered the space, I was overcome by the size and formal layout of the installation. I was reminded of memories of sitting around a big table for family holiday dinners. The layout of The Dinner Party’s triangular table allowed
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The artist included many symbols to convey her stance on the history and value of women. The dinner party installation is fitting because throughout history, women are stereotyped to uphold the role of preparing the meals and setting the table. The dining table was located in a private, domestic, “feminine” space where as the public was a space meant for men. Judy Chicago’s The Dinner Party setting disproves this notion with its strong presence. The triangle, which is represented in the table and the floor tiles, is a symbol of the female, representing the female womb. The triangle is purposefully equilateral to represent equality amongst people, whether it is gender, race, religion, or political stance. Perhaps one of the most crucial details in construction of the piece is the medium chosen to create it. Judy Chicago selected and embraced the artistic media that were created by women and dismissed by the art world as simply “craft”. This media included needlework, embroidery, ceramic decoration, and glass art. By using these undervalued mediums to create such a controversial and epic piece, the crafts-based art started to become validated as important and aided in changing the underrepresentation of women in the visual

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