Jillian Steinhauer nails it in an article posted yesterday at Hyperallergic, titled "Georg Baselitz Is a Sexist Grump."
Steinhauer's article is in response to another article (article within an article within an article...). Georg Baselitz is a successful 75 year old German painter interviewed by der Spiegel, credited in the article's introduction as "one of the world's most important painters." And, in the somewhat stereotypical fashion of a cantankerous old white guy, he spends most of the interview grumbling about museums and the media (because they don't give him enough attention, you see) and proclaims that in the art world, "women simply don't pass the test,"
and (drum roll please),
"Women don't paint very well. It's a fact."
Despite hearing this before, I still found myself shaking my head, then chuckling in solidarity when reading Jillian's deliciously satirical introduction:
Steinhauer's article is in response to another article (article within an article within an article...). Georg Baselitz is a successful 75 year old German painter interviewed by der Spiegel, credited in the article's introduction as "one of the world's most important painters." And, in the somewhat stereotypical fashion of a cantankerous old white guy, he spends most of the interview grumbling about museums and the media (because they don't give him enough attention, you see) and proclaims that in the art world, "women simply don't pass the test,"
and (drum roll please),
"Women don't paint very well. It's a fact."
Despite hearing this before, I still found myself shaking my head, then chuckling in solidarity when reading Jillian's deliciously satirical introduction:
Women, ladies, girls, however you identify — if you’ve got two X chromosomes,
I’m talking to you, and I have an unfortunate announcement: You can’t paint. At
least not well. So if you’re thinking about becoming a painter, don’t do it;
you’ll never be any good. If you already are one, I’m sorry; you should probably
take up knitting instead.
All it takes is a quick run through art history to see the imbalance between the success of male and female artists, particularly in painting. While there are several exemplars (Elizabeth Murray, Helen Frankenthaler, Elaine de Kooning, Jenny Saville, Judith Godwin, Joan Mitchell, Agnes Martin, Lee Krasner, Anne Truitt, Paula Modersohn-Becker, and to go even further back, Artemisia Gentileschi--remember the scene of Judith Slaying Holofernes? You go, grrl) it is an undeniable truth that despite their accomplishments, women painters are rarely given the same recognition as men. Their paintings are sold or auctioned for much less, and to obtain a solo show as a woman? Probably a much easier task if she were not a she.
Baselitz comments that it's because women lack a "necessary brutality."
Oh, come off it.
Some delightful Tweeted responses to the interview are included in the Hyperallergic article, bringing many valid points to the table, particularly how the art world seems to reward this type of macho, attention-seeking pissing contest. Steinhauer wraps it up by saying, "All I can think of to really deal with Baselitz and his idiotic comments is to ignore him," and she's right.
Here's hoping that we can continue to prove such mindsets wrong, to others and to ourselves. Women, keep creating.
Baselitz comments that it's because women lack a "necessary brutality."
Oh, come off it.
Some delightful Tweeted responses to the interview are included in the Hyperallergic article, bringing many valid points to the table, particularly how the art world seems to reward this type of macho, attention-seeking pissing contest. Steinhauer wraps it up by saying, "All I can think of to really deal with Baselitz and his idiotic comments is to ignore him," and she's right.
Here's hoping that we can continue to prove such mindsets wrong, to others and to ourselves. Women, keep creating.
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