My Favorite Feminists

Today best friends Milena & Megan cover India’s first two women physicians Dr. Kadambini Ganguly & Dr. Anandibai Gopalrao Joshi along with the Mexican artist that out Frida Kahloed, Frida Kahlo – Maria Izquierdo

Dr. Kadambini Ganguly &

Dr. Anandibai Gopalrao Joshi

This episode Milena gives us not one, but two featured scientists in the form of India’s first formally educated women doctors. With the United States literally and metaphorically on fire, we’re heading abroad and back in time for some escapist material. Today we explore their upbringings, how the class system in India really is everything & how these women’s trajectories vary greatly due to the men in their lives (hint: one’s awesome & the other’s a butthole)

Maria Izquierdo

As one writer put it, “Maria Izquierdo represented Mexicaness better than Frida Kahlo, not in her folklore but in her essence”That’s a tall order to fill – Frida Kahlo is one of the most well known women artists in the world. Maria Izquierdo on the other hand? Not so much.

This episode we profile the artist that lived and worked during the same time as Frida. In a twist, it’s Frida’s husband Diego Rivera that played crucial in denying Maria’s art the appreciation it deserved both during her life and after. Today we explore the themes within Maria’s art, and examine what inspired her to create.

Selected Work

Virgin Mary iconography worked its way into numerous paintings. While not a devout Catholic herself, Maria chronicled the Church’s influence in everyday Mexican women’s lives

A selection of Maria’s landscapes – she often painted desolate landscapes contrasted by rich, indulgent foods

Above to the let is the 1936 painting Women in Jail, an example of Maria imbuing her works with gender commentary. To the right is the 1947 work Dreams and Premonition, considered Maria’s last great painting.

* Frida Kahlo – The one woman artist along with Georgia O’Keeffe that everyone can name. Lived at the same time as Maria * Jalisco – The state in Mexico where Maria, tequila and mariachi music is from * Mexican Revolution – Took place from 1910 to 1920, resulted in a democratically govern Mexico * Machismo – The idea of men displaying hyper-masculine characteristics as gender norm. Prevalent in Spanish cultures * Diego Rivera – Artist that was instrumental in influencing Maria’s art career. Along with David Siqueiros and Jose Orozco were Los Tr...

This episode Milena & Megan are back in the States with 101 year old African American folk artist Clementine Hunter & early American psychologist (and philosopher) Mary Whiton Calkins

Clementine Hunter

Clementine photographed in the 1960s, she would have been in her 80s

After spending the last few episodes abroad with our artists, we return back to the States to cover Louisianan folk artist Clementine Hunter. Born in 1886, Clementine proves our totally unscientific theory that women artists live forever. Clementine didn’t start making art until her 40s, but enjoyed over 6 decades of making. Yes – 6, as in 60 years – Clementine worked up to her death at age 101. It’s estimated in total she created up 10,000 pieces of art. Meanwhile co-host Megan takes weeks to finish one work of art. Give a listen to find out what sparked Clementine’s art career, how a not-French Frenchman comes into the story and the impact segregation had on Clementine’s solo shows.

Selected Works

Funeral Procession, features Clementine’s characteristic flattening of persepctive

1980 painting Wash Day

Image of Clementine’s murals within the Africa House at Melrose Plantation

Here’s a sampling of the various giant chickens painted in place of a mule within Clementine’s paintings

Selectiojn of quilts by Clementine, all featuring Melrose Plantation

* Natchitoches Parish – Oldest settled parish in Louisiana by outsiders, where Clementine lived her entire life* Sharecropping – Labor system in the South that developed in lieu of slavery. Landowners leased land, equipment and materials to renters then claimed payment come crop harvest time * Melrose Plantation – Plantation where Clementine lived most of her life. Was turned into an artist residency program * Southern Renaissance – Wave of creative development in Southern artists and writers in the early 1900s * Francois Mignon – Actually ‘Frank-from-NY=state-and-not-Mr-Frenchguy’ who became Clementine’s manager/PR guy * Grandma Moses – Artist Clementine is likened to, both folk artists depicting idealized rural scenes circa turn of the 20th century. Featured in ep. 24

Mary Calkins

It’s good to have options, and even better to have opportunities – Mary Calkins had both. Born into a well-to-do New England family,

Today BFFs Milena and Megan cover the first Chinese woman to bridge Eastern and Western art styles, Pan Yuliang & Nancy Grace Roman, American astronomer and mother of the Hubble telescope.

Pan Yuliang

Last episode we explored the theme of female agency within painting the nude form – today we’ve got round two of that. Jumping from Indonesia to China, this ep we cover the life of painter and occasional sculptor Pan Yuliang. Considered China’s first female Western style painter, Yuliang bridged traditional Chinese art styles with modern Western content.

While her life had a rocky start, Yuliang lived to see her work recognized internationally before her death in 1977. We cover the political upheavals, classism and love story that brought it all together.

Selected Work

Some select self portraits, highlighting her traditional ink work and Western style painting

Yulaing painted over 4000 nudes, often depicting women of color. Above are paintings that can be found HERE

While living in France Yulaing was commissioned for portrait sculptures, the above right being René Grousset, a French historian and art curator

* Qing Dynasty – Last Chinese dynasty, fell in 1912 ending 2000 years of imperial rule * 1920’s Shanghai – The New York City of China during this period, a creative and intellectual hub * Hong Ye – Neighbor to Yuliang, who introduced her to Western painting * Fauvism – Modern art style using rich colors, best example is the works of member Henri Matisse* Mao Zedong – Founder of the People’s Republic of China and leader of the Communist party. Under his rule over 40 million people died* Cultural Revolution – Took place from 1966 – 76, in an effort to weed out counter-ideologies to the Chinese Communist Party* Paul Gauguin – French pervy painter who creeped on Tahiti teenagers, furthering the fetishization of non white women in his paintings

Nancy Grace Roman

Today best friends Milena & Megan cover Chinese chemist Dr. Tu Youyou, who developed a treatment for malaria & Indonesian sex-positive painter IGAK Murniasih

Dr. Tu Youyou

Dr. Tu Youyou is a dedicated woman. Contracting tuberculosis as a teenage, Tu vowed to devote her studies to the prevention of disease. Asked by the government to develop a treatment for malaria, Tu did just that. Scouring centuries old medicinal texts, Tu expanded on traditional medical knowledge and discovered a modern treatment for the deadly vector borne disease. Spending years away from her family while researching and testing herself as the first human subject speak to her determination. In 2015 she was awarded the Nobel Proze in Medicine for her work that has saved the lives of millions. Today we profile how this all came to fruition, and just how gross diseases like malaria are.

IGAK Murniasih

I Gusti Ayu Kadek Murniasih, also known as IGAK Murniasih, also known as Murni – is weird and wonderful and today we cover the sexually unabashed paintings of the Indonesian artist. Growing up poor, Murni came to find international acclaim for her paintings post-fall of Indonesian’s authoritarian New Order Regime. We highlight the impact of the government on creativity, social expectations of women and the baggage still associated with ‘Feminism’ in Indonesia today.

Selected Work

It’s 100% Big Dick Energy in today’s episode

This is Megan’s favorite painting by Murni. Like, what’s going on and does it even matter?

A favorite between Milena & Megan, a 2003 acrylic on canvas painting titled Happy to be with Him

In the words of Milena: What is this? Amazing, that’s what it is – acrylic on canvas, Party in Bangkok

Shoes, distorted limb and physical anomalies are themes within Murni’s artwork

* Dr. Wulan Dirgantoro – Art historian who has included Murni in her writings about contemporary feminist Indonesian artists * New Order Regime – Conservative ruling government of Indonesia from 1966 to 1998* I Dewa Putu Mokoh – Artist who taught Murni painting in the traditional Balinese style * Seniwati – Art gallery ran by Mary Northmore, who first showed Murni’s work starting in the mid 1990s* Reformasi – Period starting in 1998, after the fall of the New Regime Order* Cem...

This episode best friends Megan and Milena GTFO of the dumpster fire that is America and go international with Aboriginal Australian abstract painter Emily Kame Kngwarreye & beloved English primatologist Dr. Jane Goodall

Emily Kame Kngwarreye

Emily Kame Kngwarreye is one of the most prominent contemporary Australian painters – and one of the most prolific. Born in roughly 1910 in the central desert region of the Northern Territory, Emily came to international fame 70 years later. In her short public career as a painter Emily averaged a painting a day. This episode we cover what life was like in her remote and rural community, how Emily’s paintings made it into the art market and the spiritual connections ingrained within the paintings.

Selected Work

Acrylic on canvas, Big Yam Dreaming – one of Emily’s motifs were the root structures of yam plants

Acrylic on canvas, another example of the use of root structures for Emily’s art

Acrylic on canvas, 1996 – Part of the My Country series

Acrylic on canvas, Untitled, part of a series based off of body art painting that was done for spiritual ceremonial performances within Emily’s community

Emily working on one of her paintings. She worked large scale, typically finishing a painting in a day

Dr. Jane Goodall

Dr. Jane Goodall in the 1960s, having Mother Nature essentially bless her as One of the Good Ones

Lately everything feels like it’s going to hell and you just need a little bit of feel-good something. For one of the co-host that’s stuffing her face with chocolate and more chocolate. For the other co-host that’s bringing us this segment on the amazing Dr. Jane Goodall. Today Milena brings us the feel-good vibes of this English primatologist – who went from working as a waitress after high school to immersing herself for decades within Tanzania’s Gombe National park chimpanzee communities.

As always, music by EeL

This episode best friends Megan & Milena cover Iranian glass sculptor Monir Shahroudy Farmanfarmaian & American chemist Alice Ball who developed a leprosy treatment.

Monir Shahroudy Farmanfarmaian

To me, Monir Shahroudy Farmanfarmaian is the Queen of Light. After visiting a mosque in the mid 1970’s, Monir was inspired to completely change her art and started making works inspired by the glass work she had seen. Bridging traditional Persian craft techniques with contemporary formats, Monir became a leading sculptor not just within her home of Iran, but internationally as well. Today we cover how that happened, and how it really is all about who you know in life.

Selected Work

Monir photographed in the 1970’s with her mirrored balls, one of which was a gift to Andy Warhol

A Sotheby’s employee poses next to ‘Recollections I’ by Monir Farmanfarmaian during a press preview of Orientilist and Middle Eastern Art Week at Sotheby’s on April 20, 2018 in London, England. (Photo by Chris J Ratcliffe/Getty Images for Sotheby’s)

Installation view of Monir’s solo show at the Guggenheim Museum in NYC

Front view of one of the dimensional wall pieces Monir made in her later years

Alice Ball

Alice Ball was on this Earth too short a time. In today’s episode Milena explores the remarkable contributions this young chemist made to early 20th century leprosy treatment. In case you were wondering, the disease is wayyy more terrible then you’re imagining. Milena dishes on what’s gross and more, leaving us better informed and 100% more worried about bacterial infections.

This episode best friends Megan & Milena get all-American with astronaut and physicist Sally Ride & late 19th century sculptor Edmonia Lewis

Sally Ride

How does one go from a budding professional tennis career to becoming the first American woman in space? Milena has you covered this episode. Wishing to literally and metaphorically leave our dumpster fire that is Earth (okay, specifically the United States), we’re going to space today.

I’ve discovered that half the people would love to go into space and there’s no need to explain it to them. The other half can’t understand and I couldn’t explain it to them. If someone doesn’t know why, I can’t explain it.Milena falls into the latter camp despite Megan’s insistence they travel in space together. Like, come on Milena, I bet we can get a senior discount in 2060 for SpaceX

Edmonia Lewis

I was practically driven to Rome, in order to obtain the opportunities for art culture, and to find a social atmosphere where I was not constantly reminded of my color. The land of liberty had no room for a colored sculptor. Edmonia to the New York Times in 1878

Life was hard for the first internationally recognized African-American sculptor. Born about 1844 to a West Indies father and Chippewa mother, Edmonia Lewis faced constant discrimination throughout her life. Undeterred, Edmonia accomplished a successful fine arts career that brought her world wide acclaim. Today we cover how she navigated blatant sexism and racism, crafting a public persona that capitalized on her audiences inherent biases.

Selected Work

1875 work Hagar

Direct capture

1872 work Old Arrow Maker

1868 bust Minnehaha, character from Longfellow’s epic poem The Song of Hiawatha

1868 work Hiawatha, character from Longfellow’s epic poem The Song of Hiawatha

1867 work Morning of Liberty/Forever Free

* Chippewa/Ojibwe – Native American tribe Edmonia’s mother belonged to* Oberlin College – First predominately white college to admit African American men, then later women, making it the first American coed college * Edward Brackett – Boston sculptor Edmonia learned under in the early 1860’s* John Brown – Radical abolitionist that was ultimately hung for treason over an attempt to steal US munitions and free slaves * Neoclassical art – Style Edmonia worked with, think of stuffy marble busts of dead wealthy white guys*

This episode best friends Megan & Milena cover gender-bending blues singer, pianist and entertainer Gladys Bentley & African American physicist, educator and pioneer Dr. Shirley Ann Jackson

Gladys Bentley

Gladys Bentley was a badass. Now, I might just be a sucker for a woman in a tux (which I totally am), but today’s episode offers us a glimpse into the queer nightlight that was 1920’s Harlem. In the full swing of the Jazz Age and Harlem Renaissance, 16 year old Gladys moved to NYC and made it big. Like, really big. Within a few short years she was a leading entertainer among clubs, drawing crowds both straight and gay, black and white to see her. We cover what Gladys did with that fame, what happens when America gets conservative and just how gay of a time it really was then.

1934 News article detailing a club where Gladys, the ‘smut singing entertainer’, played getting busted by the cops

Photos from the 1952 Ebony article announcing how totally not-gay Gladys was

* The Great Migration – When African Americans GTFO of the South late 18th/early 19th century * Harlem Renaissance – Period in the 1920’s and 30’s of African American art, centered in Harlem, NYC* Mabel Hampton – Lesbian performer and activist that was a contemporary of Gladys * Bessie Smith – Known as the Empress of the Blues, was a leading singer of her day* Ma Rainey – Known as the Mother of the Blues, was one of the earliest professional Blues singers * Langston Hughes – Major figure within the Harlem Renaissance, was a poet, writer and playwright * Grand Order of the Odd Fellows Drag Balls – Drag balls that were -the- place to be seen, Harlem hosted the largest national event in the 1920’s and 30’s * Mona’s 440 club – First publicly lesbian club in SF, where Gladys performed

Wanna know more? Always a book for that (usually) (or article)

Celeida Tostes by editors Marcus de Lontra Costa & Raquel Silva. Available to read for free, this is a great collection of essays in both Portuguese and English

* Bu...

This episode best friends Megan and Milena cover 20th century Inuit printmaker Pitseolak Ashoon & Emmy Noether, a German mathematician that loved math so much, she invented her own branch of study.

Pitseolak Ashoon

Some art careers don’t start until well into middle age – printmaker Pitseolak is an example of that. Born in the early 1900’s, after the passing of her husband in the 40’s Pitseolak begain exploring ways to support her family. With the help of a local network of artists and educators, Pitseolak went from struggling single mother to being award the highest civilian honor, the Order of Canada. We cover her creative rise, and how the Canadian Arctic is only

You can see the 1971 short film based off of Pitseolak’s work HERE

Selected Work

1983 Migrating Towards Our Summer Camp

1964/65 Man Repairing Sledge

1980 The Shaman’s Wife

1967 Crossing the River

Emmy Noether

Milena and math are old friends. Not always on speaking terms, but still old friends. Emmy and math? Don’t get us started….no really, Emmy developed a new field of mathematics, we could be here all day talking about it. Instead of filling your ears with the madness that is abstract algebra, Milena covers how this woman came to pursue her education, lived as a Jewish woman in 1920’s Germany, and just what her and Albert Einstein have in common. (Pfff….it’s a love of math).

In the judgment of the most competent living mathematicians, Fraulein Noether was the most significant mathematical genius thus far produced since the higher education of women began.– Oh, just Albert Einstein name dropping Emmy Noether

As always, music by EeL

P.S Here’s that shameless ART PLUG Megan mentioned at the end of the episode. Don’t listen past the closing music? Man you’re missing out…

This episode best friends Megan & Milena cover Scottish virologist Dr. June Almeida who, oh, just identified the first human coronavirus and 12th century German nun, composer, mystic and saint, Hildegard of Bingen

Dr. June Almeida

“Bitches I was RIGHTTT” – was not what the scientist Dr. June Almeida said when her discovery of the first human coronavirus was validated by the science community, but a small part of Milena hopes it was. Born in 1930, within her lifetime the doctor helped to further our understanding of viruses. Today we go over the groundwork June established, and how it’s being utilized in the current fight against COVID-19.

Hildegard of Bingen

Last episode we got a little murdery with the 6th century art patron Empress of the Byzantine Empire, Theodora. Today, we’ve got God. Free of assassinations, sex work and the slaughter of thousands, we’re looking at a leading intellectual of the day who just happened to receive visions from God. Nun Hildegard of Bingen, now Saint as of 2012, was a bride of Christ, writer, mystic, educator, poet, and the first musician we’ve covered. No bear trainers were harmed in the making of this episode.

When a woman is making love with a man, a sense of heat in her brain, which brings with it sensual delight, communicates the taste of that delight during the act and summons forth the emission of the man’s seedHildegard of Bingen in 1150 writing on the female orgasm

Selected Work

Vision: The Music of Hildegard von Bingen – Listen HERE

Selected Illustrations accompanying her Writings

Wanna know more? Always a book for that (usually) (or article)

Celeida Tostes by editors Marcus de Lontra Costa & Raquel Silva. Available to read for free, this is a great collection of essays in both Portuguese and English

* Hildegard of Bingen: Scivias * Hildegard von Bingen: A Journey into the Images* Holistic Healing

As always, music by EeL