Judy Chicago  (American, 1939) 

Judy Chicago (American, b.1939) is an artist, feminist, and author. She is associated with the beginnings of the Feminist Art movement in the 1970s, and is considered one of the most prominent artists to contribute to the ongoing dialogue on women and art. Chicago’s most well-known work, The Dinner Party (1974-1979), is considered an iconic work of the Feminist Art movement. The work represents 1,038 fictional and historical women, 39 of whom are symbolized by intricately designed place settings at a triangularly-shaped table, while 999 other names are inscribed in gold on the Heritage Floor. The Dinner Party was created by Chicago with the assistance of hundreds of volunteers, and it has been displayed in sixteen separate exhibitions across six different countries. It found a permanent residence in 2007, at the Brooklyn Museum’s Elizabeth A. Sackler Center for Feminist Art. Alongside the Brooklyn Museum’s acquisition, Chicago published The Dinner Party: From Creation to Preservation (2007), her most recent and updated book on the work. Other notable works by Chicago include Birth Project (1980-1985) and Holocaust Project (1985-1993). Birth Project is a series of embroidered works and tapestries depicting scenes of creation, birth, and fertility, designed by Chicago and executed by 150 needle workers under Chicago’s supervision. As part of an exploration into her Jewish heritage, Chicago spent eight years producing Holocaust Project, first presented in October of 1993 at the Spertus Museum in Chicago, IL. The series includes painting, photography by Donald Woodman—the artist’s husband—and works of tapestry and stained glass. Chicago’s written and artistic contributions span five decades. She received a BA and MA from the University of California, Los Angeles in 1962 and 1964, respectively, and since then has been the recipient of honorary doctoral degrees from Russell Sage College, Smith College, Lehigh University, Duke University, and Hebrew Union College.