An Incomplete History of Protest: Selections from the Whitney’s Collection, 1940–2017

Aug 18, 2017–Aug 27, 2018

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No Idle Gesture

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Beginning in the 1960s, the feminist movement grew increasingly vocal and influential. Advocating for the legal and social rights of women, it addressed reproductive freedom, domestic and sexual violence, and the family, among other pressing concerns. These works focus on feminist explorations of labor, whether in the home or workplace.

The slogan “the personal is political” became both rallying cry and directive in this period for many artists, both male and female, who often used video and photography to give visibility to their lived experiences. Suzanne Lacy and Martha Rosler employ absurdity and humor to suggest that meaning and gendered roles are socially constructed. In her Free, White and 21 (1980), Howardena Pindell details her experiences with racism and sexism in both the feminist movement and in jobs, calling attention to the specific mental and emotional labor required of people of color in white-dominated spaces. Since the 1980s, the Guerrilla Girls have unmasked the unequal status of women as art workers and fought for the inclusion of women and people of color in major art institutions. Their protest is ongoing.

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Installation view

Installation view of An Incomplete History of Protest: Selections from the Whitney’s Collection, 1940-2017
Installation view of An Incomplete History of Protest: Selections from the Whitney’s Collection, 1940-2017

Installation view of An Incomplete History of Protest: Selections from the Whitney’s Collection, 1940–2017 (Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, August 18, 2017–). From left to right, top to bottom: Mierle Laderman Ukeles, I Make Maintenance Art One Hour Every Day, September 16-October 20, 1976; Martha Rosler, Semiotics of the Kitchen, 1975; Guerrilla Girls, Bus Companies Are More Enlightened than NYC Art Galleries., 1989; Guerrilla Girls, Guerrilla Girls’ Pop Quiz., 1990; Guerrilla Girls, Missing in Action, 1991; Guerrilla Girls, How Many Women Had One-Person Exhibitions at NYC Museums Last Year?, 1985; Guerrilla Girls, If You’re Raped, You Might as Well “Relax and Enjoy It,” Because No One Will Believe You!, 1992; Guerrilla Girls, You’re Seeing Less than Half the Picture, 1989; Guerrilla Girls, Women in America Earn Only 2/3 of What Men Do, 1985; Guerrilla Girls, These Galleries Show No More than 10% Women Artists or None at All, 1985; Guerrilla Girls, At Last! Museums Will No Longer Discriminate against Women and Minority Artists, 1988; Guerrilla Girls, Guerrilla Girls Identities Exposed!, 1990; Guerrilla Girls, Top Ten Ways to Tell if You’re an Art World Token, 1995; Guerrilla Girls, The Advantages of Being a Woman Artist, 1988; Guerrilla Girls, We Sell White Bread, 1987; Guerrilla Girls, Traditional Values and Quality Return to the Whitney Museum, 1995; Guerrilla Girls, Guerrilla Girls Hits List, 1986; Guerrilla Girls, Supreme Court Justice Supports Right to Privacy for Gays and Lesbians., 1992; Suzanne Lacy, Learn Where the Meat Comes From, 1976. Photograph by Ron Amstutz

Artists

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On the Hour

A 30-second online art project:
Maya Man, A Realistic Day In My Life Living In New York City

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Learn more at whitney.org/artport

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