"She Laughs Back" Bay Area Women creating art in the 1970s

She Laughs Back, now showing in the University Library Gallery here at Sac State, was curated by Elaine O'brien and displays artworks from nineteen women bay area artists who had active careers in the 1970s. A variety of drawings, paintings, and mixed media, She Laughs Back provides wit and female insight that makes viewers giggle to themselves as they make their way through the exhibition. 

Slide from "Why is that So Funny?" Artist talk on Feb. 8

The 1970s saw a rise in feminist art, and a rise in humor being used to discuss uncomfortable issues. Many of the works shown are humorous, absurd, or both. I very much enjoyed the variety and representation among the artists shown. Like Lorraine Garcia-Nakata, the only female member of the RCAF-The Royal Chicano Air Force, who also participated in the artist talk related to the exhibit. In her presentation she shed light on her treatment by her male counterparts in relation to her depictions of indigenousness. In the drawing, No Peasant Shirt, No Shirt (1975)- Garcia-Nakata depicts an indigenous woman relaxing with her upper half nude. The narrative behind the piece comes from Garcia-Nakata’s involvement in the Southside Park Mural by the RCAF members. Allegedly, when drafting the indigenous female figures which she would paint into each end of this mural, her male colleague asked her if she would paint them wearing peasant shirts so as not to disturb church goers in the area. Garcia-Nakata’s response was that, “she is indigenous…and a peasant shirt is colonial.” To Garcia-Nakata, indigenous culture and pride outweighs what society may deem as appropriate. Truly a woman who was fearless and outspoken in a male-dominated field. 

The Uninvited Guest by M. Louise Stanley

The Uninvited Guest by M. Louise Stanley is a feast for the eyes with so many moving parts it could be stared at for hours. Viewing this piece is like playing a game of Where's Waldo when you don't know what Waldo looks like. My eyes were drawn to each person, wondering who they are and what they are doing in this lively crowd. Funny enough, Stanley includes a list and key of the individuals occupying this composition. Stanley describes the scene as her sisters wedding in the woods of Humboldt County, and the guests as members of her family plus some fictitious characters. The uninvited guest in question, settled towards the back of the wedding crowd, is a giant grasshopper with a grasshopper cocktail. Unbothered by the insects presence, the crowd of wedding guests is shown chatting and socializing amid a landscape of chaos. I especially enjoyed the exquisite corpse drawings of two figures nestled in the bottom right corner. Stanley notes "The stylization of the figures came from a desire to start from scratch and throw out my former academic self. I used distortion and caricature to camouflage my subjects, to describe how they felt, not just how they looked. Yes, I was rebelling on purpose. What else could one do when confronting Abstract Expressionism while trying to invent a personal identity?" I love Stanley's honesty and non-conformity in the face of outdated standards and expectations. 

She Laughs Back celebrates bay area women who created ingenious works of art highlighting feminine wit and used their artwork to change societal standards set for women. If you haven’t already, you should head to the library to see this exhibition.