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Summary and Reflection on Adrian Piper’s Arguments
Piper together with other female artists has played a big role in putting vigil on the plight of female artists. They have brought up the issue of the need of education as an important step in ensuring that female artists are empowered (Amelia, 2003). I believe this was a reasonable and an important step in ensuring that more and more female artists are nurtured and brought to light. Piper mentions particularly the western cultures that have discriminated women in the arts industry due to societal or cultural setting and others based on race.
I believe with the women’s empowerment programs that have enabled the modern woman to claim a respectable position; modern female artists have a chance of exploring a place in the art industry (Amelia, 2003). However, as Piper points out, there is a great need for schools to provide enough information on the history of the female artists who have made a mark in history. This explains the reasons why there is a sharp decline of female arts students in school.
In addition, Piper observes the unequal representation of women in the arts society itself. The unequal positions that women were given in the society is reflected in the arts societies. She mentions the higher educational centers such as the museums or art galleries that have less or none female arts (Amelia, 2003). I believe that this issue that is raised is outright as it only reflects a history of discrimination of female artists based on race or nationality. This is ironical because such institutions are regarded in the highest esteem by the society. They should be the institutions that should practice what is morally right and which is found the famous artwork of female artists and offer education to the generations to come.
Historically, less female art was collected and preserved for the reasons that they were undervalued and consequently their work had no value. This was a period of harsh discrimination to female artists who were regarded less because of issues such as race. And as a consequence, they were given unequal positions in the arts society (Amelia, 2003).
The issue of historians in recording and publishing books on artists over the decade has also been seen as discriminatory by Piper. She points out some book covers with racist terms such as “White male arts over the decade”. This is clearly discrimination of race and gender that put off female artists out of history never to be remembered. I believe this was a crude way of treating deserving and honest people who clearly had talent in the society. In fact, it was a way of robbing them their talent as art is meant to be studied for many decades to come from many generations to come.
Therefore, I believe there is a great need for historians to delve further into art history and highlight the forgotten female artists who had a huge contribution in the world of arts. This would be a great way of healing and mending the crimes that were committed in the era of discrimination. Moreover the introduction of technology that involved many artistry performances, particularly of digital performances brought about discrimination of women (Amelia, 2003). Women were given minor roles or roles that were too degrading. Many artists who were mainly of color were discriminated against and in many cases denied opportunities in that industry (Amelia, 2003). However, it is important to note that such kinds of discriminations against women varied from countries to countries.
References
Amelia Jones. (2003). The Feminists and the Visual Culture Reader. New York. Routledge Publishers.