Mary Beth Edelson: Conference of Women in the Visual Arts, Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washington DC, April 20-22, 1972
In 1972, Mary Beth Edelson organized the Conference of Women in the Visual Arts along with Josephine Withers, Barbara Frank, Yvonne Wulf, Cynthia Bickley-Green, Susan Sollins, and Enid Sanford, pictured here at the Opening Session photographed by Ruth Silverman.
Copyright held by the Estate of Mary Beth Edelson; preserved through a partnership with The Feminist Institute. See record
The women in Washington organized the event as a national forum to create connections, to exchange ideas, and to promote further engagement among the participants and beyond.
Held at the Corcoran Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., this first large-scale meeting of women in the visual arts met over three days with panels and lectures by artists and art historians, including Elaine de Kooning, Alice Neel, Judy Chicago, Miriam Schapiro, and Linda Nochlin.
Copyright held by the Estate of Mary Beth Edelson; preserved through a partnership with The Feminist Institute. See record
This Conference provided the opportunity for both formal presentations and informal discussion, as in this photograph of participants that includes Liza Bear, Nochlin, Sanford, and Cindy Nemser.
Copyright held by the Estate of Mary Beth Edelson; preserved through a partnership with The Feminist Institute. See record
In this post-conference report from January 1973, Edelson wrote on the purpose, issues, activities, and outcomes of this historic event. Edelson wrote that the artists spoke of their work and art world experiences while art historians, critics, and museum professionals addressed criticism and how women artists are evaluated. This reflection noted some of the challenges in organizing such a ground-breaking conference and that “when it was time to end we were just beginning.” Her reflections at the end of the report describe the struggles and enthusiasm that many participants felt. Edelson’s early activist spirit resonates throughout as she concludes, “With our new self-awareness and constant re-evaluation we are transformed.”
Copyright held by the Estate of Mary Beth Edelson; preserved through a partnership with The Feminist Institute. See record
Related items from the archive
Steering Committee for the Conference of Women in the Visual Arts
"Artists' Speak" panel at the 1972 Conference of Women in the Visual Arts
Conference of Women in the Visual Arts Booklet
Conference of Women in the Visual Arts Post-Conference Writeup
Contact sheet from Conference of Women in the Visual Arts, 1972
