The Dinner Party
I have not totally forgotten about this blog, only half. Work, business trips, and head colds have been getting in the way of things.
A couple of weeks ago, Hilary came to visit, and in addition to eating a lot of pizza, we explored Open House New York and went to First Saturday at the Brooklyn Museum. I have a ton of photos from Open House New York, including photos from the top of the Arch at Grand Army Plaza, the Williamsburg Savings Bank, and the Montauk Club in Park Slope. (I went to the Arch at Grand Army Plaza last year too; you can see photos from the opposite side of the top of the arch here. You might be able to tell that the weather was much more seasonable last year.)
When we went to the Brooklyn Museum, we got to check out an exhibit I've wanted to see for years. The new Elizabeth A. Sackler Center for Feminist Art wing is the permanent home of the Judy Chicago work The Dinner Party. This major icon of feminist art features a triangular table set with 39 place settings, each representing an important historical woman. Each place setting has a gold chalice, a plate, and a place runner. The plates and place runners are the real works of art; the ceramic plates and embroidered runners are done in a style that is both historically significant to the woman's time and evocative of her contributions to society. There are an additional 999 names inscribed on the floor of the exhibit. At the end, in a separate room, you can view panels with much more information about each woman who is named in the work. The exhibit is both beautiful and a really neat learning experience; I had heard of many of the women around the table, but others were new and I was inspired to learn more. Now I know who I want to read about next time I'm looking to read a bibliography!
I took some not very good pictures of plates I particularly liked and women I particularly admire, but you can see the whole exhibit in a cool interactive display at the Brooklyn Museum site. No one who knows me will be particularly surprised to see photos of the plates of leaders (Hatshepsut, Elizabeth, Boadaceia, Theodora); doctors and medical activists (Trotula; Margaret Sanger); and human rights advocates (Sojourner Truth; Susan B. Anthony). There were of course many other women I admire, but I was unable to take pictures of all the plates.
I'd be interested to see how this piece would be if it was created today. I wonder who else would be included or how the presented information would change if Judy Chicago was making this piece now.
