It's impossible to change the social without changing the personal - you have to put your money where your mouth is. And if you're not making those challenges at home, it's unlikely you'll make them in a larger setting.
I think that still, for the most part, even in 2010, the vast majority of museum shows and gallery shows and gallerists are pretty much dominated by men. So having a sense of what women are up to, for me, frankly, is very, very important.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote highlights the gender disparity in the art world, emphasizing the importance of recognizing women's contributions.
Carrie Mae Weems emphasizes the ongoing gender imbalance in the art scene, suggesting that the majority of visibility and recognition in galleries and museums still predominantly favors men. This statement reflects a broader call to acknowledge and elevate the work of women artists, recognizing their valuable contributions to the cultural landscape. Weems articulates a personal commitment to understanding and promoting women’s roles in art, illustrating the need for change in an industry that has historically marginalized female voices.
Themes
In practice
Example use cases
This quote could be used in a discussion on the representation of women in contemporary art panels.
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My favorite flamenco singers, they're not trying to look pretty. They're trying to put truth in what they do, in the way they express themselves. Sometimes that's not beauty, but it's beautiful.
I keep the drafts of each poem in color-coded folders. I pick up the folders according to how I feel about that color that day.
When I'm in certain moods, a conversation will start up in my head, and suddenly I'll realize that the language has reached a very high and interesting level, and then lines and stanzas will just kind of appear, full-blown.
People love mystery, and that is why they love my paintings.
The painting rises from the brushstrokes as a poem rises from the words. The meaning comes later.
You can’t, if you can’t feel it, if it never Rises from the soul, and sways The heart of every single hearer, With deepest power, in simple ways. You’ll sit forever, gluing things together, Cooking up a stew from other’s scraps, Blowing on a miserable fire, Made from your heap of dying ash. Let apes and children praise your art, If their admiration’s to your taste, But you’ll never speak from heart to heart, Unless it rises up from your heart’s space.