Chicago Scene Exhibit of Renowned Feminist Artist Spans Seven Periods by Anna Gawel Feminismóthe word itself is rife with connotation and misconception. It is a source of pride and strength to some, a source of derision and mockery to others. But whatever image or emotion it conjures, the word is at the heart of a movement that inspired a wealth of artistic creativity and ingenuity. And at the forefront of this artistic movement is Judy Chicago, still considered a trailblazer by legions of her contemporaries. As founder of the first feminist art program in the United States, Chicagoís innovative works spanned and influenced four decades of history, and now a significant portion of her work can be seen at the National Museum of Women in the Arts in the exhibit simply titled ìJudy Chicago.î Chicagoís work seemed to evolve almost as much as her message. From minimalist sculpture, to large, spray-painted canvases, to painted porcelain plates, Chicago experimented in a variety of media and stylesóa consummate pioneer of new and inventive forms of feminist expr ession. The exhibit breaks her prolific career down into several areas: the Early California Years (1964-1971), the Breakthrough Years (1972-1975), the Dinner Party Years (1974-1979), the Birth Project Years (1980-1985), the Powerplay Series (1983-1986), the Holocaust Project (1992), and the End of the Century (1993-2000). Each period is marked by a distinctive growth in perspective and direction; nevertheless, one can still see many overriding themes and talents throughout these rich and varied works. To walk through this exhibit is to truly appreciate the impressive range that Chicago possesses as an artist and her ability to weave together seemingly disparate tones and media into one stirring creation. Even the smooth, clean lines that characterize much of her early sculpture reveal a complex artistry lurking beneath, and the simplicity in pieces such as ìTrinityî and ìBronze Domesî does not belie the inherent potency and entrancing appeal of Chicagoís artistry. Later, pieces such as ìThrough the Flowerî and its counterpart, ìHeaven Is for White Men Only,î unveil the beginnings of a captivating kaleidoscope of color and shape that would blanket much of her later work. ìHeaven Is for White Men Onlyî is particularly striking, not only because of its attention-grabbing title, but because of the odd juxtaposition of soft, delicate pink undertones in the crisscrossed poles that Chicago refers to as ìflesh beamsî and the inhibiting nature of these poles, which are actually intended to represent a barrier that no woman can cross. On the other hand, ìThrough the Flower,î the female version of ìHeaven,î skillfully uses these same soft, calm brushstrokes to project the completely opposite emotion, exuding a much warmer and inviting aura. Striking juxtapositions are evident throughout Chicagoís work. In ìBirth Tear,î exquisite, rose-colored embroidery on fine silk is contrasted with the explosive, almost violent image of a woman giving birthóher body enveloped by a monstrous tear and her face viciously contorted by the sheer agony she is experiencing. The joy of birth may come afterward, but this shows what happens during it. The exhibit also contains seven sets of ìtestî plates that would become part of 39 place settings in ìThe Dinner Party,î Chicagoís monumental nod to influential women throughout history and what would become a cornerstone achievement in her career. But as impressive as this groundbreaking work is, not to mention the amount of detail that went into such an immense project, Chicagoís creative spirit and flair for innovation continued to thrive in the years ahead. Chicago was a master at creating and reading facial expressions, as witnessed by the ìThree Faces of Man,î which depicts a triptych of anger, sadness and laughter. She drenched ìThree Facesî and other pieces in her Powerplay Series with radiant colors and fluid lines that accentuated every detail of every contour on the body. Again, her choice to use soft, pastel-like colors, which emanate from the canvas like a burst of sunlight, produces a jarring effect when contrasted with the sharp, powerful muscles and masculine overtones in pieces such as ìRainbow Man.î Chicago also possesses a sublime gift for twisting and transforming shapes, which is aptly illustrated in ìCrippled by the Need to Control.î Here, a womanís head morphs into a gel of strings held by a man who has the womanís body crouched between his legsóa not-so-subtle explanation of the paintingís title. Chicago elevated her hypnotic swirls of color and shape to another level in the Birth Project Years, a series of works that explored womenís role as the giver of life. In ìThe Creation,î Chicago crafts a mesmerizing tapestryóliterallyóof shape, color and line, as mountains flow into breasts, people become squids, and a womb-like underworld is peppered with whales, spiders and birds. It is a beguiling scene that, like so many of her shapes and figures, would morph into future ambitious endeavors, such as the ìHolocaust Project,î an eight-year collaboration with her husband, and her second autobiography, ìBeyond the Flowerîóall integral pieces in a life-long journey that has helped define a major social movement and bring to light the womenís experience in contemporary art. ìJudy Chicagoî runs through Jan. 5 at the National Museum of Women in the Arts, 1250 New York Ave., NW. For more information, please call (202) 783-5000 or visit www.nmwa.org. Anna Gawel is the assistant managing editor for The Washington Diplomat.