Women in Revolt! at Tate Britain is a powerful exhibition of activist art created by over 100 women in the UK during the 1970-1990 women’s liberation movement. The walk through history showcases artwork created in protest and revolt in the form of paintings, photography, film and performance. It is an inspiring portrayal of the power of feminist art and activism, whilst also a painful reminder that women have been fighting for the same rights for decades, many of which are yet to be achieved.
Photographs of women marching with banners demanding free access to abortion, contraception and child care invite feelings of admiration and gratitude for those who fought before us. Evocative art and ephemera showcase the work of different groups of women, including banners promoting the Greenham Common Women’s Peace Group, or the handwritten constitution of the Organisation of Women of African and Asian Descent. Work by LGBTQ+ activists challenge stereotypes imposed on LGBTQ+ women, including photography of Rosy Martin (1987) wearing the same man’s suit in different roles.
Conflicting with feelings of inspiration and awe is a sense of hopelessness and anger that feminists have been fighting for the same rights for decades, such as equal pay and an end to violence against women and girls. Feelings of outrage are evoked throughout the exhibition, including by Monica Sjöö’s oil painting Wages for Housework (1975) portraying women’s overlooked exhaustion resulting from unrecognised unpaid domestic labour, which particularly resonated with me having recently done a presentation for Girl* Up Edinburgh on this issue. Bhajan Hunjan’s acrylic painting The Affair (1987-1988) depicting a South Asian woman partially enclosed reflects the imposition social and cultural expectations, producing feelings of both frustration and motivation to create change.
This exhibition made clear the power of activist art, and the need to continue revolting.
Gina Birch, still from 3 Minute Scream, 1977 (3) Gina Birch. Press image from the Tate