Artist and feminist icon Nancy Spero has passed away. She will be missed.
What's amazing about Nancy's work is that she inspired so many creative and political people, even those that didn't/don't consider themselves visual artists. For instance she inspired my undergrad mentor Ann Snitow, who of all my professors had the greatest impact on my education and who I chose to be, not just a writer, but a writer with a purpose. Ann's writing is academic but it shines with the polish of someone inspired by other fields and is punctuated with broad imagery that can be traced to her love of visual arts and visual mediums. It's all connected. Ann was greatly impacted by Nancy, I was greatly impacted by Ann. And so, in a real way, it matters, every day how we act and treat one another. It is a simple human truth. RIP Nancy.
Read Jessica Hopper's beautiful obit on her blog by clicking here
"A pioneer of feminist art, Nancy Spero’s work since the 1960s is an unapologetic statement against the pervasive abuse of power, Western privilege, and male dominance. Executed with a raw intensity on paper and in ephemeral installations, her work often draws its imagery and subject matter from current and historical events such as the torture of women in Nicaragua, the Holocaust, and the atrocities of the Vietnam War."
ps, this post was not intended to be preachy or moralistic, but rather to show my great appreciation for the circle of knowledge that I have been privileged to encounter. When I make statements like 'it all matters' I'm talking to myself as well, someone who easily gets caught up in the petty day to day. Sometimes I need to remember to take a step back, relax, breathe and be grateful for what I've been given.
