"Why have there been no great women artists?" asked the prominent art historian Linda Nochlin in an intentionally provocative 1971 essay. In this book four prominent critics and curators describe the strides made by women artists since the advent of the feminist movement and assess the changes that have occurred in their critical reception, commercial appeal, and institutional support. Following a comprehensive essay that looks back at the recent history of women artists, the authors examine the careers of an international selection of artists-Marina Abramovic, Louise Bourgeois, Ellen Gallagher, Ann Hamilton, Jenny Holzer, Elizabeth Murray, Shirin Neshat, Judy Pfaff, Dana Schutz, Cindy Sherman, Kiki Smith, and Nancy Spero-considering each figure's accomplishments and her influence on contemporaries and younger artists. AUTHOR: Eleanor Heartney is a contributing editor to Art in America and Artpress. Her books include Art and Today and Postmodern Heretics: The Catholic Imagination in Contemporary Art. Helaine Posner is Senior Curator of Contemporary Art at the Neuberger Museum of Art at SUNY Purchase and the author of Kiki Smith. Nancy Princenthal is a contributing editor to Art in America. She has written for many publications, including Artforum, ARTnews, Parkett, and the New York Times and is the author of Hannah Wilke. Sue Scott has curated exhibitions on major artists such as Alex Katz, Jennifer Bartlett, and Ed Ruscha. Her writing has appeared in ARTnews, Art Papers, Art and Antiques and elsewhere. ILLUSTRATIONS: 210 colour

Author Biography

ELEANOR HEARTNEY is a contributing editor to Art in America and Artpress. Her books include Art and Today and Postmodern Heretics: The Catholic Imagination in Contemporary Art.