Contemporary Handicraft, Textile Art and Feminist Social Critique

My thesis looks at the work of female contemporary artists who use what has historically been considered "women's craft" such as embroidery, knitting, stitching and other various textile arts. Since the Women's Art Movement of the 1970s, women have used these creative outlets to express discontent and injustice in their lives revolving around gender and identity. In my research, three main themes emerged as addressed in each chapter. The first theme addresses the topic of domesticity and memory including unseen female labor, such as domestic chores and motherhood, and how fabric holds memories. Chapter two covers gender politics- specifically the politics surrounding menstruation, reproductive rights, the objectification of the female body and focusing on the feminist idea of the personal is political. Chapter three is about a wide range of intersectional topics and themes including war, race, class, and climate change that shows how craft has evolved into its own medium over the years. Overall, my thesis engages in why craft is an effective medium for social critique and advocacy for its specific traits and historical connotations.