MASP

The questioning of the role of women and the construction of gender stereotypes in Western civilization are amongst the themes that Judy Chicago (née Judith Sylvia Cohen) — a pioneering feminist artist from the USA — has been working with for over six decades. What if Women Ruled the World? is based on a work made in Paris following a commission for the haute couture brand Christian Dior in 2020. Chicago designed the setting for the spring/summer women’s collection runway show in collaboration with the brand’s Creative Director Maria Grazia Chiuri. Like a church nave pointing towards a high altar, the runway led to a gigantic 5-meter-high and 3.6-meter-wide velvet flag. In an exact replica of the image, three rectangles in vibrant colors – green, purple and green – frame a golden background where we read the crucial question: What if Women Ruled the World? The rigidity of the geometric framing contrasts with the fluidity of the cursive writing, calling attention to the issue itself – the power imbalance between men and women – and the ascription of value to ancient forms of knowledge, such as manual sewing, an undervalued practice in a modern and pragmatic society.

— Regina Teixeira de Barros, Coordinating Curator, Collection Curator, MASP, 2023

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