Is feminism [the equality of the sexes] still relevant today and how have artists throughout each wave of feminism reflected their agenda in their art??

Throughout art history, when female artists have been discussed their art has always been regarded as biologically determined, that all associations of femininity are linked to their style of painting and the subjects they choose to paint. Female artists were seen as the minority. This was stemmed from common ideologies and gender norms within society that restricted their subject matters in their paintings – only painting objects that reflected their femininity like flowers or portraits of miniatures, using mediums like pastels and watercolour. Moreover, women who were subjects within paintings were often objectified by the male artist simply for the pleasure of the receiver. Typically, within paintings of the nude women were often stripped of their sexual power so the spectator – typically a man – could monopolise their own sexual power and feel dominance of the submissive subject within a painting. Women within art have always been overlooked and restrained of their creativity because of male dominance within the patriarchal society. Even at present day, female artists struggle to create pieces of work that don’t have a hegemonic hold and connotations or histories of traditional ideas of femininity. This can be perceived as boundaries, so therefore female artists usually find other ways of creating art like installations and producing pictures. These are contemporary ways of producing art and therefore don’t refer to a particular or dominant gender.