Book Description

"This publication, the first comprehensive catalogue of Joan Semmel's work, will trace the artist's career from early abstract-expressionist paintings through her movement-defining feminist art and activism and, finally, to the vital and monumental work that she is making today of her own mature body. This book gives readers the opportunity to experience almost fifty-five years of Semmel's extraordinary work, including forty of her paintings, as well as a selection of her rarely seen drawings, collages, and photographs. In the face of persistent censorship and in defiance of deep-rooted sexism and ageism, Joan Semmel (b. 1932) relentlessly makes paintings that reflect the ongoing struggle for women's equal representation, power to make decisions about their own bodies and sexuality, and empowerment through the self. At a moment when sex and body positivity have become international movements, it's critical to celebrate Semmel's pivotal and under-recognized role in bringing these ideas forward. Though Semmel is one of the most important feminist painters, and her work has consistently gained visibility within that context, she remains relatively unacknowledged for her impact on representational painting in the United States. The authors will consider Semmel in both feminist and figurative painting frameworks-a long-held desire of the artist-specifically in relation to Semmel's forward-thinking approach to painting the nude body. Throughout her career, Semmel has always been ahead of the curve-today, at 87 years old, she is making vital work that continues to challenge the traditions of figurative painting"--