In 1971, Judy Chicago and Miriam Schapiro collaborated to establish the Feminist Art Program (FAP) at CalArts. This program was based on the experimental program that Chicago started at Fresno State College a year earlier. The FAP at CalArts was a groundbreaking program and among the earliest in the United States to offer courses in female art history, uniquely taught exclusively by women for women. In addition to the FAP, Sheila de Bretteville founded the Women’s Design Program (WDP), another one-year program that shared the FAP's commitment to exploring various facets of feminist cultural production. This program incorporated activities such as group consciousness raising sessions, performance workshops, and the study of feminist literature. During its inaugural year, the FAP welcomed approximately twenty-five young women artists into its fold. The hallmark of their collaboration was the ambitious project known as "Womanhouse," which commenced on November 8, 1971. The primary objective of "Womanhouse" was to offer an intimate insight into the world of women artists, allowing them to express their perspectives and experiences within a predominantly male-dominated art community. These artists collaborated to convert a vacant Los Angeles mansion with seventeen rooms into an exhibition space. Each artist had the freedom to utilize her chosen space within the house to explore and express different facets of the female experience through her artistic work. Regrettably, the FAP dissolved in 1974, primarily due to the departures of Judy Chicago in 1973 and Miriam Schapiro in 1975. Despite its relatively short existence, the Feminist Art Program and the Women’s Design Program left an indelible mark on the art world, significantly advancing the visibility and recognition of women artists and their unique perspectives.
First issue of Networks magazine published by the California Institute of the Arts, edited and designed by students in the School of Design (1972)
First issue of Networks magazine published by the California Institute of the Arts, edited and designed by students in the School of Design (1972)
First issue of Networks magazine published by the California Institute of the Arts, edited and designed by students in the School of Design (1972)
First issue of Networks magazine published by the California Institute of the Arts, edited and designed by students in the School of Design (1972)
Document outlining the Womanhouse Project imagined by Judy Chicago and Miriam Schapiro in 1972.
Document outlining the Womanhouse Project imagined by Judy Chicago and Miriam Schapiro in 1972.
Document outlining the Womanhouse Project imagined by Judy Chicago and Miriam Schapiro in 1972.
Document outlining the Womanhouse Project imagined by Judy Chicago and Miriam Schapiro in 1972.
Document outlining the Womanhouse Project imagined by Judy Chicago and Miriam Schapiro in 1972.
Document outlining the Womanhouse Project imagined by Judy Chicago and Miriam Schapiro in 1972.
Document outlining the Womanhouse Project imagined by Judy Chicago and Miriam Schapiro in 1972.
Reverberating Feminisms: Chronologies of Feminist Art Movements at CalArts exhibition and accompanying guides were compiled by the CalArts Library. If you have any questions or suggestions about the exhibition, please contact us at libref@calarts.edu.