To Be or Not to Be a Feminist Artist: The Case of Lin Tianmiao

Abstract

The artist Lin Tianmiao (Taiyuan, 1961) has received special attention in the Western artistic field, and she has frequently been considered a "feminist artist". However, the artist has continuously rejected this label. A rejection that is especially interesting for the reassessment of the category of "feminist artist" and the connotations of this taxonomy. In this article, in order to question the figure of the "feminist artist", firstly, we introduce the conceptual framework around concepts such as "woman artist" and "feminine art". Secondly, we develop the figure of "feminist artist" in relation to Chinese contemporary art. Next, we proceed to analyse Lin's rejection regarding the label "feminist artist". Then, we examine two factors that have influenced Lin's identification with the aforementioned figure, which are: the use of textiles and bodily self-representation. Finally, the paper studies how this perception as a "feminist artist" has influenced the author's own production. In this way, through a specific case, the logic of the construction of the category of "feminist artist" and the challenges that it entails are shown, in order to re-evaluate the way it is used.