The 100 Women artists challenge

I propose this challenge to all art educators: teach only women artists of color, artist with (dis)different abilities and artists often considered marginalized from my list for one year during your professional practice.

I present this challenge for many reasons but mainly to resist a western, patriarchy-based practice that predominantly excludes creative women, people of color, people with (dis)different abilities and the marginalized.

I challenge art educators to make space and shift their thinking and professional practices teaching children by engaging in my challenge for one year.

Get uncomfortable with what you don’t know. Learn new works,women and stories.

Engaging with the works of 100 Women Artists list will open a space for art educators— allowing more opportunities to connect with art students who are often predominantly female, normalize the female perspective and positionality, and make all art educators more well-rounded and knowledgeable.

Will you take the challenge?

The list is organized by Artist–COUNTY, media

This list is a strong springboard to transform the learning and/or teaching practice of any educator but is designed for the art educator. Of course, this is by no means a complete list, but it is a great starting point for those not knowing any or many women artists from around the globe to visually invite into the classroom. This list holds not only influential women from the globe but some of my favorites who may be lesser known.

Reach out with any questions, comments, or name spelling correction to Dr. Melissa Leaym-Fernandez, through this website.

AFRICA (I would love to build this section—send any artists you admire)

  1. Zanele Muholi FRPS--SOUTH AFRICA, artist and visual activist working in photography, video, and installation.

MENA (middle east and north Africa)

  1. 28Shirin Nishat-IRAN, photographer, film, video

  2. Shadi Ghadiryan–IRAN, photographer domestic utensils and the female form

  3. Maitha Demithan–EMIRAT, photography, scanography,

  4. Boushra Almutawekel-YEMEN, photographer

  5. Sarah Mohann Al-Abdalil–SAUDI ARABIA, first street/graffiti artist in country

  6. Manal Al Dowayan-SAUDI ARABIA, contemporary artist with work based on feminist critique

FIRST NATIONS, ABORIGINAL & INDIGENOUS 

https://www.national.ca/en/perspectives/detail/no-perfect-answer-first-nations-aboriginal-indigenous/

  1. Maria Martinez-PUEBLO, hand-built pottery

  2. Eubena Nampititjin-AUSTRALIAN ABORIGINAL, painter, bark painter

  3. Kitty Kantilla–KUTUWALUMI PURAWARRUMPATU ABORIGINAL, in all media carved iron, tunga, painting on paper, canvas & prints

  4. Carrie Bethel–MONO LAKE PAIUTE-KUCADIKADI associated with Yosemite National Park, Basketry

  5. Kathleen Carlo-Kendall–ALASKA KOYUKON ALHATOASKAN, Carver and mask maker

  6. Lucy Lewis–ACOMA PUEBLO, pottery

  7. Margaret Tafoya–MATRIARCH-SANTA CLARIA– Potters

  8. Marie Z. Chino–ACOMA PUEBLO, pottery

  9. Nampeyo–HOPI-TEWA, potter

  10. Jody Folwell–SANTA CLARA Potter

  11. Alice Cling–NAVAJO, pottery

  12. Wendy Red Star–APSAALOOKE, contemporary multimedia using humor

  13. Matika Wilbur–SWINOMISH & TULALIP, teacher, portrait photograph.

CENTRAL AND SOUTH AMERICAS 

  1. Claudia Bernardi--ARGENTINA, human rights, social justice

  2. Paz Errazuriz–CHILE, photography or marginalized spaces such as brothels, trans folks, sex workers, hospitals

  3. Marta Minjun–ARGENTINA, conceptual artist and performer

  4. Monica Mayer–MEXICO, feminist artist, activist and art critic

  5. Frida Khalo–MEXICO, painter

  6. Tarsila do Amaral–BRAZIL, painter, draftswoman, and translator leading painters in modernist art/Brazilian modern style

EUROPE

  1. Annika Von Hausswolf –SWEDEN, death of women, the female form in nature, photography

  2. Agnes Denes–HUNGARY, large scale public environmental works

  3. Remidios Varo–MEXICAN BORN in SPAIN, painter, surrealist

  4. Maria Blanchard–SPAIN, painter, cubism

EAST ASIA

  1. Shin Saimdang–SOUTH KOREA, writer, painter, calligrapher, Josen Dynasty

  2. Minjung Kim–SOUTH KOREA, paper, ink, mix media, contemporary

  3. Na Hye Seok–SOUTH KOREA, feminist artist, poet, writer, educator, journalist, resister! 

  4. Moon Kyungwon–SOUTH KOREA,

  5. Haegue Yang–SOUTH KOREA, Mix media with household objects

  6. Zemei Li–CHINA, sculpture, mixed media, GUMMI BEAR, contemporary

  7. Peng Wei–CHINA, contemporary 

  8. Fan Tchunpi–CHINA, b. 1898 to a wealthy and progressive family, she combined traditional Chinese and Western elements in her art making; Guohua style

  9. Sun Duoci–CHINA, sketches in ink and washes, calligraphy, writer

  10. Lin Tianmiao–CHINA, installation and textile, silk stitchery on embroidery hoops

  11. Pan Yuilang–CHINA, painter, sold by uncle into child prostitution, third wife, who ranked first in french art school then kicked out due to her personal history

  12. Guan Daoshen–CHINA, (1262-1319) called the "most famous female painter in China"

  13. Ma Shouzhen–CHINA, (c. 1548-1604), courtesan, painter, poet, composer

  14. Shen Shou–CHINA, embroidery

  15. Chen Peiqiu–CHINA, painter (bestselling woman painter alive? or in China?) 

  16. Ciu Xiuwen–CHINA, paintings (pregnant), video social justice and social commentary/education (prostitutes in bathroom)

  17. Bu Hua–CHINESE, manga imagery

  18. Chen Lin yang–TAIWAN-CHINESE BORN, installation and femininity in relation to chinese popular culture of the 1990s

  19. Zhou Hongbin–CHINA, photography, painting, sculpture, multimedia

  20. Huang Jingyuan–CHINA, painter

  21. Paper Cutters of 2nd Century–CHINA, traditionally a women's craft

  22. Bingyi–CHINA, curator, scholar, architectural design, cultural critic and activist

  23. Kan Xuan–CHINA, contemporary visual artist with experimental video, painting, photography, and performance 

  24. Lee Bul–SOUTH KOREAN, sculpture, performance

  25. Jee YOung Lee–SOUTH KOREAN, photography

  26. Chiharu Shiota–JAPAN, performance, space, bodies & Flesh, immersive panoramic web installations

  27. Makiko Hattori–JAPAN, ceramics

  28. Yayoi Kusama–JAPAN, multimedia, large bold installation, sculpture

  29. Tabaimo–JAPAN, animation, "magical and uncomfortable by nature" mix media, video installations

  30. Tsuruko Yamazaki–JAPAN, painter, founder of avant garde Gutai Art Association in the 1950s

  31. Morika Mogi–JAPAN, young & genuine photographer in fashion industry

  32. Nanase Ohkana–JAPAN, co-founder of all female manga group called CLAMP

SOUTH ASIA

  1. Bani Abidi–PAKISTAN, video

  2. Anida Yoeu Ali–CAMBODIA-AMERICAN, transforming the perception of space

  3. Pushpalma N.–INDIA, photographer

  4. Sujeewa Kumari–SRI LANKA, identity, photography, painting, video

  5. Hanusha Somasunderam–SRI LANKA

  6. Nalini Malani–INDIA, contemporary, video

  7. Bharti Kher–INDIA, installation, sculpture, body focus

  8. Amrita, Sher-Gil–INDIA, painter

  9. Sheela Gowda–INDIA, painter

  10. Anita Dube–INDIA, contemporary 

  11. Reena Saini Kallat–INDIA, mixmedia

  12. Anjolie Ela Menon–Contemporary, b. 1940

  13. Bharti Dyal–INDIA, focuses in Madhubani art, "The Monkey and the Elephant" books

  14. Gogi Saroj Pal–INDIA, multimedia

  15. Geeta Badhera–INDIA, oils, poetry,

  16. Rooma Mehra–INDIA, poet, painter, sculpture, freelance columnist

  17. Dayanita Singh–INDIA, photographer, format is the book

 

UNITED STATES  

  1. Elizabeth Catlett–USA, print maker, painter

  2. Faith Ringgold–USA, mix-media, quilts, painter

  3. Edmonia Lewis–USA, sculptor

  4. Elizabeth Keckley–USA, haute couture, exclusive dressmaker to Mary Todd Lincoln

  5. Lorna Simpson–USA, photographer, painter, mixed media

  6. Carrie Mae Weems–USA, photographer

  7. Kara Walker–USA, mix-media

  8. Howardena Pindell–USA, mix-media

  9. Bisa Butler—USA, mix-media

  10. Alma Woodsey Thomas–USA, painter

  11. Selma Hortense Burke–USA, sculptor

  12. Harriet Powers–USA, quilter

  13. Louis Mailou Jones–USA, painter

  14. Bettye Saar–USA, mix-media

  15. Augusta Savage–USA, sculptor

  16. Betsy Damon–USA, mix media, environmental + water + social justice, performance

  17. Ana Mendieta–USA–CUBAN BORN, environmental, photo, installations in natural settings

  18. Zilia Sanchez–PUERTO RICO–CUBAN BORN, abstract with non-traditional materials

  19. Mickalene Thomas—USA, painter

  20. Hung Liu–b.CHINA relocated to USA, painter

  21. Maya Lin–USA, architecture, memory works, sculptor