TITLE:
Miriam Schapiro: Collaging Feminist Expression
AUTHORS:
Emily Wu, Chong Zhao
KEYWORDS:
Miriam Schapiro, Feminist Art Movement, Feminism, Feminist Art History, Social Construction of Gender, Essentialism, Collaboration
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Social Sciences,
Vol.13 No.11,
November
18,
2025
ABSTRACT: In the competitive art world of the 1960s in Western society, women struggled to make a name for themselves as the predominantly male audience refused to take their art seriously. The second wave of feminism and the feminist art movement helped women fight for rights and opportunities to express their thoughts and experiences. Many feminist artists reveal themes of social construction of gender and non-essentialism in their art as they explore women’s identity and roles in a complex society shaped by social norms. This paper evaluates Miriam Schapiro’s career and artistic development chronologically, examining how her use of materials and symbols historically considered feminine, such as fabric and embroidery, pushes the boundaries of the traditional definitions of high art. Her later invention of the art form “femmage” and her involvement in collaborative works further demonstrate her feminist ideals and commitment to exposing gender inequalities. Through analyzing Schapiro’s artworks and the perspectives of critics of her work, it is clear that Schapiro’s work reveals the social construction of gender and non-essentialist ideas in many ways.