Feminist Art of the 1970s: interrogating ‘The Gentle Arts’

Arts Monday’s Jane Raffan looks at feminist art practice from the 1970s related to textiles, in particular, women’s fancywork, also known as ‘the Gentle arts’.

Interviews with AGNSW Curator of Australian art Natalie Wilson, and Kerrie Head, Object Conservator, regarding ‘Arcadia: Landscape and Bodies‘ (1972-1977), a room-sized crocheted ‘tableaux vivant’ by Ewa Pachucka.

Jane and guests also delve into the social history of women’s ‘fancywork’ and the art historical and social history paradigms within which this type of work was and is now assessed, explored in the exhibition, ‘The Gentle Arts and Feminism.’