Undervalued Women Artists in Their 90s: Recognizing Pioneers

Several remarkable women artists in their nineties have been overlooked by the art world despite their significant contributions. The lack of recognition for these artists, especially when their male counterparts and younger female artists receive attention, highlights the need for greater visibility and acknowledgment.

Louise Bourgeois, for instance, created an immersive installation titled “I Do, I Undo and I Redo” at Tate Modern’s Turbine Hall shortly before turning 90. The installation’s symbolism mirrors her journey of persistence, doubt, and second chances in her monumental career. Similarly, Rosalyn Drexler’s Pop Art paintings from the 1960s, like “Marilyn Pursued by Death,” offer commentary on the portrayal of women in media, while Marie-Thérèse Vacossin’s geometric abstract paintings create optical illusions through vibrant colors.

Greta Schödl’s visual poetry works incorporate text and symbols, reflecting her personal experiences and heritage. Susan Weil’s multidisciplinary approach blurs the line between painting and sculpture, and Lilian Thomas Burwell’s shaped paintings challenge the conventional boundaries of art forms. Kimiyo Mishima’s sculptures of everyday objects highlight human wastefulness, and Anna Bella Geiger’s diverse oeuvre includes printmaking, collage, and installation.

Ann Thomson’s expressive paintings and sculptures translate indiscernible memories into art, and Audrey Flack’s career spans Photorealism, Abstract Expressionism, and more. Despite their immense contributions, these artists have yet to receive the recognition they deserve. It’s crucial to give these pioneering women artists the acknowledgment they have long been denied.

-Re-reported from the article originally published in Artsy