the Woman's Building

The Woman’s Building History: Opening Reception: Doin’ It in Public: Art & Feminist at the Woman’s Building

Set to the original song written by Phranc for her concert "This Is Your Life: The Woman's Building," here are highlights of the Opening at the Otis College exhibit "Doin' It In Public: Feminism and Art at the Woman's Building" on October 1, 2011. The exhibit is part of "Pacific Standard Time: Art in L.A. 1945 -- 1980," an initiative of the Getty with arts institutions across Southern California.
In order of appearance: Phranc, Sheila de Bretteville, Arlene Raven, Cynthia Marsh, Linda Vallejo, Terry Wolverton, Betty Brown, Eloise Klein Healy, Clsuf, Jerri Allyn, Shirl Buss, Linda Preuss, Mary Linn Hughes, Susan Silton, Anne Gauldin, Marjan Vayghan, Christine Papalexis, Ginni Gauldin, Cheri Gaulke, Casey Revkin, Cheryl Revkin, Lianna Nakashima, Roberta Farrington, Judy Chicago, Suzanne Lacy, Johanna Demetrakas, Ellen Ledley, Cheryl Swannack, Nancy Polikoff, Meg Linton, Bruria Finkel, Sheila Pinkel, Rachel Rosenthal, Denise Yarfitz Pierre, Florence Rosen, Barbara T. Smith, Kirsten Grimstad, Ann Isolde, Marguerite Elliot, Sandra Mueller, Leslie Labowitz-Starrus, Miriam Cutler, Kelsang Tsulma, Xochi Maberry-Gaulke, Cheryl Caddich, Nancy Buchanan, Linda Nishio, Terry Belcher, Suzanne Siegel, Nancy Youdelman, Pam Ward, Anita Holguin, Nick Lieberman, Laurel Klick, Alan Wolfson, Faith Wilding, Deena Metzger, Donald Woodman, Susan King, Michele Kort, Ruth Iskin, Lily Tomlin, Sue Maberry.
It was a joyous event with some attendees greeting old friends they had not seen for some time.

The Woman's Building History: Phranc sings at: Doin’ It in Public: Art & Feminist at the Woman’s Building

All American Jewish Lesbian Folksinger, Phranc, performs outside the Opening of the exhibition Doin’ It in Public: Art and Feminism at the Woman’s Building.
This event is part of the exhibition at Otis College of Art and Design:
"Doin' It in Public: Feminism and Art at the Woman's Building" which comprises an exhibition, two scholarly publications, and series of public events that document, contextualize and pay tribute to the groundbreaking work of feminist artists and art cooperatives that were centered in and around the Los Angeles Woman's Building (downtown L.A.) in the 1970s and 1980s.

This video shown as part of the Getty’s Pacific Standard Time 2011-2012: Doin' It in Public: Art and Feminism at the Woman's Building
Ben Maltz Gallery
October 1, 2011 — January 28, 2012

The Woman’s Building History: Phranc Presents: This is Your Life: The Woman’s Building

Phranc performed at the Skirball Cultural Center on October 16, 2011, her original song: “Built By the Woman’s Building” Phranc © 2011.

This event is part of the exhibition at Otis College of Art and Design:
"Doin' It in Public: Feminism and Art at the Woman's Building" which comprises an exhibition, two scholarly publications, and series of public events that document, contextualize and pay tribute to the groundbreaking work of feminist artists and art cooperatives that were centered in and around the Los Angeles Woman's Building (downtown L.A.) in the 1970s and 1980s.

This video shown as part of the Getty’s Pacific Standard Time 2011-2012: Doin' It in Public: Art and Feminism at the Woman's Building
Ben Maltz Gallery
October 1, 2011 — January 28, 2012

The Woman’s Building History: Tour of the Exhibition

Part of the unprecedented collaboration initiated by the Getty, "Pacific Standard Time: Art in LA 1945-1980;" Otis College of Art and Design mounted the Exhibition "Doin' It In Public: Feminism and Art at the Woman's Building." Curators Meg Linton and Sue Maberry lead us on a tour through the Gallery. Along with historical ephemera and documentation, the show surveys the work of groundbreaking feminist artists/designers and artist collectives who gathered together at the Los Angeles Woman's Building from 1973 through 1991. The feminist art movement of the 1970s set off an explosion of art-making and analysis that continues to reverberate in the art world today, and the Woman's Building (WB) in Los Angeles was one of its epicenters. In 1973, artist Judy Chicago, graphic designer Sheila Levrant de Bretteville, and art historian Arlene Raven founded the WB, and for over two decades it helped shape the regional and international cultural landscapes. Through extensive public performances, site-specific work, networking with political activists, and collaborations, the feminist art movement at the WB raised consciousness, invited dialogue, and transformed culture. The WB handed women their rightful claim to the role of "artist." It inspired and allowed members to create a community of women who saw art as a powerful tool for social change, and shared this vision with the public. A listing of the artists featured in Doin' It in Public, including Miriam Schapiro, Faith Wilding, Betye Saar, and Suzanne Lacy, can be found at otis.edu/benmaltzgallery.

The Woman’s Building History: The Artist Collectives

Doin' It in Public: Feminism and Art at the Woman's Building comprises an exhibition, two scholarly publications, and series of public events that document, contextualize and pay tribute to the groundbreaking work of feminist artists and art cooperatives that were centered in and around the Los Angeles Woman's Building (downtown L.A.) in the 1970s and 1980s. Doin' It In Public is part of Pacific Standard Time: Art in LA 1945-1980, an unprecedented collaboration, initiated by the Getty, that brings together more than sixty cultural institutions from across Southern California for six months beginning October 2011 to tell the story of the birth of the L.A. art scene.

A section of the exhibition at Ben Maltz Gallery was dedicated to artist collectives, a significant part of the art scene at the Woman's Building during this time. This video, narrated by co-curators Meg Linton and Sue Maberry, highlight this important contribution.
Ben Maltz Gallery October 1, 2011 -- February 26, 2012

The Woman’s Building History: Feminist Art Workers at Otis: Heaven or Hell?

On October 16, 2011, Feminist Art Workers Cheri Gaulke and Laurel Klick perform their piece "Heaven or Hell?" at Otis College as part of the weekend event "Still Doin' It: Fanning the Flames of the Woman's Building"

This video shown as part of the Getty’s Pacific Standard Time 2011-2012:
Doin' It in Public: Art and Feminism at the Woman's Building<br>
Ben Maltz Gallery<br>
October 1, 2011 &#8212; January 28, 2012

The Woman’s Building History: Suzanne Lacy on She Who Would Fly

Suzanne Lacy is an internationally known artist whose work includes installations, video, and large-scale performances on social themes and urban issues. One of her best-known works to date is The Crystal Quilt (Minneapolis, 1987) a performance with 430 older women, broadcast live on Public Television. During the nineties she worked with teams of artists and youth to create an ambitious series of performances, workshops, and installations on youth and public policy, documented by videos, local and national news broadcasts, and an NBC program. Her work has been funded through numerous local and national foundations, including the National Endowment for the Arts and The Guggenheim, Rockefeller, Surdna, and Nathan Cummings Foundations.
Also known for her writing, Lacy wrote Leaving Art: Writings on Performance, Politics, and Publics, 1974-2007? (Duke Univ Press), and edited the influential Mapping the Terrain: New Genre Public Art, that prefigures current writing on politically relevant performance art. She has published over 60 articles on public art.

Lacy is the Founding Chair of Graduate Public Practice at Otis College of Art and Design otis.edu in Los Angeles

The Woman’s Building History: Leslie Labowitz Discusses Activist Performance and Media

From Reverence to Rape to Respect, Las Vegas, 1978 was a performance a collaborative art project by Suzanne Lacy and Leslie Labowitz as part of Ariadne: A Social Art Network. Ariadne was formed by Lacy and Labowitz as a networking structure to address issues of violence against women through art, media, and community organizing.

This is a contemporary interview with Leslie Labowitz discussing her collaboration with Suzanne Lacy in creating this performance in Las Vegas in 1978 by Otis Public Practice student, Teresa Flores.