Modern Women: Women Artists at The Museum of Modern Art
"a big, deep, feisty book of essays, several years in the making" --Holland Cotter, The New York Times, May 27, 2010...A big, deep, feisty book of essays, several years in the making... --The New York Times --Holland CotterMonumental in scope and buttressed by authoritative essays...  --Elle Decor Magazine, Jul/Aug 2010Five years of research have brought forth a richly illustrated book with 48 scholarly essays about women artists (both famous and lesser known) within the Museum of Modern Art's collections. Readers not familiar with the broad range of media that the museum collects will be astonished at the variety of international artistic expressions. Arranged chronologically, the first innovator into modernism we meet is the 19th-century photographer Julia Margaret Cameron. The museum also frankly discusses its history, when feminists demonstrated against it because of its lack of equitable representation. An informative section at the end contains short biographies of influential women behind the scenes at the museum: the three founders, as well as other donors, curators, and administrators. VERDICT This is an important study on two levels: how an institution openly addresses gender issues, and how instrumental women have been in advancing the arts to where they are today. --Library Journal