Study of the feminist methodologies in The Kiss, a communitarian art project

Abstract

The Kiss by Toxic Lesbian is a contemporary art project using the experimental methodologies first developed in the 1970s by groups of feminist female artists in California, leading to the New Genre of Public Art. It draws from the same principles which, from the gender perspective, drive groups of artists from the female spectrum to develop their digital work on the Internet as part of Cyberfeminism. They are bound together by other models for artistic creation, by another view of the meaning of public, artwork, creation and artists' remuneration. This revolution has taken shape in opposition to the patriarchy which still plays a significant role in conventional art scene. This article is based on participative observation during the development of The Kiss as a way to unpick its methodology, using it as example of the parallels feminists create when reimagining art from their principles. Starting with an analysis of the current state of play based on the work by a number of creators of reference, it connects the key ideas that explain why these artists choose these changes, and how the feminist impulse is the catalyst for each of their remainings. It illustrates women's participation in the utopia of social transformation through the prism of artistic creation. In short, it shows how feminist art aims to change art as a means to change the world we live in.