Arts

Bessie Smith (1894 - 1937)

Prominent Classic Blues Singer

Elizabeth “Bessie” Smith was an influential Blues singer, popular in the 1920s. Smith was born in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and worked as a performer from a young age. In 1923, Smith signed to Columbia Records and became one of the most prominent artists during her era, even accomplishing the feat of selling 500,000 records of her recording of “Downhearted Blues”. At one point, Bessie was the highest-paid African-American artist in the country, making about two thousand dollars per week.

Often nicknamed the “Empress of Blues”, Smith developed into one of the leading figures in classic blues along with blues singer Ma Rainey. An incredible talent, her discography includes 160 recorded songs. Her songs are weaved in themes of racism, love, sexism, and poverty. Two of her other most notable songs include “Empty Bed Blues” and “St. Louis Blues”, both of which were inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. In addition to her individual stardom, she collaborated with other famous artists like Louis Armstrong. Her career had a tremendous impact on future music stars, such as Janis Joplin. A film and biography, both titled Bessie, were also made based on her life.

“It’s a long old road, but I know I’m gonna find the end.” ~ Bessie Smith

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Michela Murgia (1972-2023)

Activist, Italian novelist, playwright, and radio personality

Michela Murgia was an Italian novelist, playwright, and political activist whose work and life epitomized the struggle for social justice, gender equality, and the rights of marginalized communities. Known for her outspoken criticism of patriarchal structures, Murgia used her voice and writing to challenge societal norms and advocate for progressive change. Her literary works, including the acclaimed novel Accabadora, explored themes of identity, gender, and the human condition, resonating deeply with readers and critics alike. Murgia's activism extended beyond the page as she engaged in public discourse on issues such as LGBTQ+ rights, feminism, and anti-fascism. Her influence was felt not only in Italy but internationally, as she became a symbol of courage, intellect, and resistance against oppression.

Michela Murgia was a deeply spiritual person with a unique relationship to Catholicism. While she often critiqued the institutional Church, she found solace and inspiration in her faith, which influenced much of her literary work. This paradoxical relationship allowed her to engage with complex theological themes in her writing, making her a distinctive voice in contemporary Italian literature.

"'Men are also discriminated against' A man can experience personal discrimination for various reasons, but he does not know gender discrimination because no culture has ever persecuted males for being male."

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Michelle Yeoh (1962 - Present)

First Asian Best Actress Winner at the Oscars

Michelle Yeoh, the first Asian person to win best actress at the Oscars, is one of the greatest action movie stars in the world. Her elegance and strength in martial arts is exemplified in both her oscar-winning movie, Everything Everywhere All At Once, and her earlier work, Tomorrow Never Dies. Michelle is known for her humility and talent, making her excel in acting and landing unconventional roles that go against gender stereotypes.

Outside of acting, Michelle is not only the goodwill ambassador for the United Nations Development Programme, but she has also joined the relief team in Nepal after the earthquake in 2015 to help people in need. Whenever she is given the chance to talk in speeches and interviews, she always utilises her platforms to stress on the importance of representation of Asian people, empowering women and young children, and giving a helping hand to the underprivileged people.

"Ladies, don’t let anybody tell you you are ever past your prime. Never give up." – Michelle Yeoh

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Charithra Chandran (1997- Present)

British Actress and Racial Equality Advocate

Charithra Chandran was born in Scotland to Indian immigrant parents, eventually settling in London with her mother. In 2018, she trained at the National Youth Theatre alongside her peers in University. Chandran studied Philosophy, Politics and Economics at New College, Oxford graduating in 2019. Some notable characters she has played include Sabina Pleasance in Alex Rider, Edwina Sharma in Bridgerton, and Amelia Brown in How to Date Billy Walsh. Chandran was nominated in the rising star category for her role in Bridgerton by the National Television Awards and Glamour Awards, winning the latter. Combining her acting and advocacy, Chandran has been recognized for her advocacy work in the project ‘She Creates Change,’ an animated series fighting for gender equality.

Chandran’s budding career was not her initial goal. In fact, she almost pursued a more “practical” career in public policy in her five-year plan after graduating from Oxford. Furthermore, Chandran considered going to law school — even going as far as taking the LSAT. Fortunately, she ultimately decided to share her talents and enter a career in film and voice acting.

Chandran is set to make her assistant producing debut in the upcoming TV series, Song of the Sun God, a story set during the Sri Lankan civil war.

“For me, colorism in some ways is more painful because it feels like a betrayal of your own.” - Charithra Chandran

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Sister Rosetta Tharpe (1915 - 1973)

Musician

Sister Rosetta Tharpe was a musician born in the early 20th century. Her unique blend of secular themes into traditional gospel music intrigued many people and earned her a large following at a young age. She was best known for her stand-out guitar skills, an instrument that she was fluently playing by the time she was just four years old. In addition, she traveled all over the country performing, and collaborated with artists such as Lionel Hampton, Paramount with Count Bassie, and the Apollo. Her career set the stage for the early rock n’ roll scene and inspired artists, both male and female, for decades to come.

“Can’t no man play like me.” - Sister Rosetta Tharpe

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Amy Sherald (1973 - Present)

African American Painter

Amy Sherald is a contemporary African American painter. Specifically, her works focus on the African American experience and how African Americans appear in American art. She paints her subjects with skin tones in gray scale to contrast the subject’s vibrant clothes and the pastel background; Sherald uses her art to urge her audience to look beyond just the skin tone of a person. As a result, she has continued to be an inspiration and an advocate for the African American community and the injustices they face.

Sherald is most known for being the artist picked to paint former First Lady Michelle Obama’s official portrait. Sherald was also the first woman to win the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery’s Outwin Boochever Portrait Competition for her 2014 painting Miss Everything (Unsuppressed Deliverance). Furthermore, her work has been exhibited across many museums in the United States, including in the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture.

“[I want] people to be able to imagine life outside of the circumscribed stereotype, or identity that can be controlled by many circumstances such as your environment, your parents, your friends, your skin color, your class.” - Amy Sherald

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Tarsila do Amaral (1886 - 1973)

Modernist Artist and Creator of the Anthropophagic Movement

Tarsila do Amaral was a Brazilian painter whose works were essential in the development of modernist painting in Brazil, giving a new direction to Latin American arts. Tarsila was a passionate traveler, socialite, fashionista, divorcee, revolutionist, and mother, who lived life on her own terms and conditions. She was a strong and resilient woman who never gave up on her dreams.

“I want to be the painter of my country.” – Tarsila do Amaral

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Carmen Amaya Amaya (1918 - 1963)

Spanish Flamenco dancer and singer

Carmen Amaya Amaya is known as the greatest flamenco dancer of all time. Flamenco footwork was only reserved for men due to its speed and intensity until the 20th century due to Amaya’s tenacity. She was able to break the toxic masculinity that defined the dance form. As a result, she became the first woman to execute and openly perform the “men’s only” footwork, proving that women can transcend what is societally assigned to them.

Amaya started dancing at a young age in her hometown in Barcelona, then at prestigious theaters in Spain, and eventually globally as more people recognized her talent and potential as a performer. Furthermore, she was cast in Hollywood films and musical plays, such as María de la O. Rising to worldwide fame, Amaya toured across America and Europe, inspiring influential figures with her fierce and virtuosic style, such as Queen Elizabeth II, President Franklin D. Roosevelt, Charlie Chaplin, and many more!

“I don’t know how to go through the world alone, and if I don’t go with my people, I get nothing out of life” - Carmen Amaya

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Frida Kahlo (1907 - 1954)

Mexican Painter

Frida Kahlo was a renowned Mexican painter remembered for her use of vibrant colors and eye-catching self-portraits. She extended her influence in Mexico and other parts of the world through her paintings and portfolio. Her works have continued to serve a prevalent role in the art world today and have impacted the lives of many through her use of social justice and feminist themes on the canvas.

Before painting, Kahlo encountered many obstacles. From polio at the age of six to a near-fatal bus accident as a teenager, Kahlo used art as an opportunity to express her immense feelings through paintings. As the daughter of a German Jewish photographer, Kahlo would develop an artistic eye during her recovery from polio. Through her artistic experiences with her father and painting courses, the skill of painting traveled with Kahlo to the National Preparatory School in Mexico City. Soon after the bus accident, she painted her first artwork: Self Portrait Wearing a Velvet Dress (1926).

200 paintings, sketches, and drawings later, Kahlo continues to be celebrated in Mexican and indigenous cultures around the globe.

“Nothing is absolute. Everything changes, everything moves, everything revolves, everything flies and goes away.” - Frida Kahlo

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Selena Quintanilla (1971 - 1995)

Mexican-American Singer and Fashion Designer

Known as the “Queen of Tejano music” and the “Mexican Madonna,” Selena Quintanilla has made it into the history books. Quintanilla brought an immense amount of exposure to Tejano or Tex-Mex music throughout her career, and her talent continues to do so today.

Growing up with little money, Quintanilla and her family made substantial sacrifices for success. Once she and her siblings developed a family band called Selena y Los Dinos, achievements followed. By performing locally, Quintanilla became a familiar name and gained popularity.

The star’s admiration boomed after she signed to EMI Records and caught the eyes of an audience of Tejano fans. Following the release of Quintanilla's Ven Conmigo album, and a collaboration with Alvaro Torres called “Buenos Amigos,”and “Donde Quiero Que Estes,” Quintanilla began her rise to fame. Her legacy proceeds to reign through her music, and she remains a household name among hispanic homes.

“There's a lot of men in this business. If you can't speak for yourself, they are going to run you down every which way.” - Selena Quintanilla

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Louise Bourgeois (1911 - 2010)

French-American Artist, Feminist, and Printmaker

Louise Bourgeois was a French-American painter, printmaker, and modeler during the 20th century. Most commonly known for her popular pieces referred to as Spider and The Destruction of the Father, Bourgeois is recognized for many awards, including the Wolf Prize in Arts - Painting. In her artwork, Bourgeois portrays emotions that convey meaningful messages to aspiring artists. In addition, her work proposes questions about several themes, such as domesticity in one’s home.

“A work of art does not have to be explained.” - Louise Bourgeois

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Yayoi Kusama (1929 - Present)

Artist

Yayoi Kusama is a Japanese artist, known for her extensive use of polka dots and infinity installations in her self-described “obsessive” style of art. Kusama’s art can be found in many museums worldwide, including the LA County Museum of Art, the National Museum of Modern Art in Tokyo, and the Museum of Modern Art in New York. In 2006, she received the Japan Art Association’s Praemium Imperiale prize for painting. This prize is awarded annually by the imperial family of Japan and the Japan Art Association for outstanding contributions to the development, promotion and progress of the arts.

“My life is a dot lost among thousands of other dots.” - Yayoi Kusama.

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Fanny Hensel (1805 - 1847)

Composer, Performer, and Pianist

Fanny Hensel was a talented musician and notable composer of the 19th century Romantic Era. She was skilled at playing the piano from a young age, and this proficiency translated into artistry when she entered the field of composition. During her lifetime, she wrote nearly 500 compositions for various instrumentations, ranging from solo piano to string quartet to Lieder (vocalist with piano accompaniment). Four hundred sixty-seven of her works have been documented, though it is theorized that she may have written other pieces that have since been lost.

Some of her most significant works include Das Jahr, a musical interpretation of the calendar year and masterpiece for piano, “Schwanenlied” (“Swan Song”), an intricately beautiful Lied, and Overture in C Major, her only discovered orchestral work. Her overture has been performed by numerous prestigious symphonies around the world, such as Belfast’s Ulster Orchestra, the Boston Symphony Orchestra, and the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra.

Fanny Hensel’s compositions have also been featured by various musical institutions around the world for International Women’s Day.

“And so we try to ornament and prettify our lives–that is the advantage of artists, that they can strew such beautifications about, for those nearby to take an interest in.” - Fanny Hensel

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Artemisia Gentileschi (1593 - 1653)

Italian Baroque Painter

In addition to her womanhood, Artemisia Gentileschi’s artistic expertise pushed barriers for canonical status in art and forever altered who could be deemed “a great artist.” As one of the few women of her time to achieve a successful career as an artist, Gentileschi resisted representations of women that catered to their (women’s) subjection by, instead, asserting their (women’s) multidimensionality.

Despite achieving success and notoriety in her lifetime, Gentileschi’s artwork lost much of its relevance within the historical canon of western art, until it was given new life by feminist art historians. The impetus behind much of Gentileschi’s contemporary relevance is the amplified conversation of women’s oppression and sexual abuse of women, which are two themes found in Gentileschi’s life story and artwork. Her artwork remains a stimulus for conversations of women’s status in the world of art, as well as in the world at large.

"My illustrious lordship, I'll show you what a woman can do" - Artemisia Gentileschi

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Maria Anna Mozart (1751 - 1829)

Classical Era Musician and Composer

Maria Anna Mozart, older sister to Wolfgang Amedeus Mozart, was a prodigious musician. From a young age, she could play many instruments, such as the harpsichord and violin. Surrounded by a musical family, she went on a tour of Europe, where she and her brother Wolfgang performed for English audiences. She gained popularity for her natural talents and abilities, which shocked many people.

Despite her fame, Maria Anna’s musical tours ended when she was eighteen, due to European expectations for women and reputation ideals. She was forced to settle down and marry, but continued independently pursuing her passion for music. She took on many students and even composed music. Though her compositions are lost, there is evidence that they were reputable, according to praise found in letters from Wolfgang. Even though societal norms held her back from her passions, she continued to make music throughout her life. Maria Anna’s unknown legacy begs to question how much music we have lost to societal gender norms.

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Rosa Bonheur (1822-1899)

Renowned French Painter, LGBTQ Icon, and Member of the Legion of Honor

Rosa Bonheur was a French artist, born in 1822. As a painter and sculptor renowned for accuracy and detail in her works, Bonheur was the first female recipient of France’s highest honor: the Grand Cross.

The Horse Fair (1853), her masterpiece and most famous work, was acquired by Cornelius Vanderbilt in 1887. He later donated it to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it can be found today. Beyond her artistic abilities, Bonheur was known for her trailblazing style of dress and romantic partners. She painted animals and farm or fair scenes, typically in dirty areas where lots of physical activity was required. In order for Bonheur to move freely without the burden of petticoats, the government allowed her to dress like a man, with a smock and trousers (otherwise forbidden to women). The juxtaposition of her femininity and her masculine style of dress has been cited as helping to shape the androgynous style of dress of the early 20th century. She also had two long-term female companions; in fact, she forced a change in the Napoleonic Code to legally transfer her estate to her romantic partner and fellow painter Anna Klumpke. Even after her death in 1899, she continued to serve as a role model for future female artists, LGBTQ+ luminaries, and feminists.

“Why shouldn’t I be proud to be a woman? My father, that enthusiastic apostle of humanity, told me again and again that it was woman’s mission to improve the human race…To his doctrines I owe my great and glorious ambition for the sex to which I proudly belong, whose independence I’ll defend till my dying day. Besides, I’m convinced the future is ours.” - Rosa Bonheur

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Emma Charlotte Duerre Watson (1990 - Present)

English Actress and Activist

Emma Watson is best known for her role as Hermione Granger in the Harry Potter films. She is not only an amazing actor, but also a social advocate and Global Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations.

Watson launched the “He For She” campaign in 2014 to include people of all gender identities in the conversation of gender equality and educate men in the topic of gender equality.

Malala Yousafzai, the youngest Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, has stated that Emma Watson is her inspiration.

“Feminism is not a stick with which to beat other women with. It’s about freedom. It’s about liberation. It’s about equality.” – Emma Watson


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Amrita Sher-Gil (1913 - 1941)

Indian-Hungarian Painter

Amrita Sher-Gil was a Hungarian-Indian painter, known for being "one of the greatest avant-garde women artists of the early 20th century" and a "pioneer" in modern Indian art. She dealt with the questions of gender, identity, and sexuality, and incorporated feminist feelings and engagements through her art. She began professionally learning art and painting at the young age of 8 and traveled all across Europe as a young woman. The fusion of Western and Indian artistic styles can be seen through her work.

She first gained recognition at the age of 19 for her oil painting titled Young Girls in 1932.

“Although I studied, I have never been taught painting because I possess in my psychological makeup a peculiarity that resents any outside interference.” -Amrita Sher-Gil


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Na Hye-seok (1896 - 1948)

Feminist Writer, Painter, and Korean Independence Activist

Na Hye-seok was the first Korean woman to receive a Bachelor of Arts in Western painting. She became a prominent oil painter in Korea and has produced more than three hundred paintings. She wrote many feminist essays and novels and launched the first-ever feminist magazine for women by women in Korea. In addition, she was actively involved in the Korean independence movement against the Japanese colonial rule.

“First of all I am a human being. Then I am a woman. This means that I am a human being before being a woman. Moreover, I belong to the universal human race before being a woman. I belong to the universal human race before being a Korean woman.” -Na Hye-Seok in her short story Kyong Hui

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Isadora Duncan (1877 - 1927)

The “Mother of Modern Dance”

Isadora Duncan was one of the first dancers to successfully oppose ballet techniques and traditions in the West, thus credited with creating Modern Dance. She was an activist for free-love and feminism.

“From all parts of her body shall shine radiant intelligence, bringing to the world the message of the thoughts and aspirations of thousands of women. She shall dance the freedom of woman,” Duncan said in a lecture, which has since been considered the manifesto of modern dance and women’s liberation.

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Jin Xing (1967 - Present)

Dancer, Former Army Colonel, Talk Show Host, Transgender Celebrity

Jin Xing is an internationally acclaimed dancer and talk show host. As a budding young artist, she enrolled in China’s state dance troupe and mastered a variety of dance styles. She has toured all over the world as a trainee, dancer, and choreographer. Jin also established China's very first private contemporary performing arts theatre, which has won many accolades for combining Eastern and Western styles. Jin is also a prominent public figure— she hosts her own talk show which accumulates more than 100 million views each week.

When she was 28, Jin underwent gender reassignment surgery, transitioning from male to female. She is the only transgender Chinese celebrity, and has recently begun setting her eye on politics to advocate for LGBTQ rights and against misinformation.

Her story is one of self-expression, which she has explored through gender and movements.

“For this world, one Jin Xing is enough. I don’t want my students to copy my movements or techniques. I want them to learn from the mindset I hold toward dancing...I must thank contemporary dance for allowing me to release my inner self and express myself”. -Jin Xing


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Rukmini Devi Arundale (1904 - 1986)

Dancer, Choreographer, Animal Rights Activist, Theosophist

Rukmini Devi Arundale was one of the most prominent figures in Bharatanatyam, an Indian classical dance form, and has made numerous contributions to the art. She transformed what it meant to be a dancer in the eyes of the public and founded Kalakshetra, a style and academy of dance. She fought for the revitalization of the arts as well as other issues, such as animal welfare.

She was the first Indian woman to be nominated into the Rajya Sabha, the Upper House of Parliament, and was also awarded the Padma Bhushan, a renowned award given to civilians for their contributions in India. As a member of Parliament in India, she brought light to important topics and passed legislation regarding these issues, including vegetarianism. Rukmini was also included in a Google doodle for International Women’s Day in 2017, which highlighted 13 women; she was the only Indian woman included.

Rukmini brought Bharatanatyam into the public eye and helped it become one of the most respected art forms worldwide.

“We dance with our bodies, but we finally forget them and transform them.” -Rukmini Devi Arundale


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Jade Snow Wong (1922 - 2006)

Ceramics Artist and Writer

Jade Snow Wong was the author of The Fifth Chinese Daughter, an autobiography that describes her struggles to balance her traditional Chinese values and her upbringing in the United States. She was also known by the names Constance and Connie Ong. She lived her entire life in San Francisco, California, but this did not stop people across the globe from empathizing with her experiences growing up as an Asian American girl.

She was also a talented ceramicist who began selling her ceramics in Chinatown after she persuaded a merchant to allow her work to be showcased in front of his store window.

Her career as a writer and pottery creator quickly took off and gained popularity. She worked with many organizations and her ceramics were later exhibited at different museums around the nation.

“The peace and stability of a nation depend upon the proper relationships established in the home.” -Jade Snow Wong, The Fifth Chinese Daughter, 1950


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Anna May Wong (1905 - 1961)

Chinese American Actress

Anna May Wong/Wong Liu Tsong is one of the first global Chinese-American movie stars and an important icon in cinema. She started her career in the 1920s, a time period where roles depicting Chinese/East Asians were fulfilled by actors/actresses with Chinese drag and yellow face attire. Known for her artistic range and style, Wong was involved in 60 films over the course of her life in both the United States and Europe. She also directed her own documentary called “My China Film” in 1936 about her experiences in mainland China during her first and only trip there. In the first television series to star an Asian American actress, Wong played lead actress in “The Gallery of Madame Liu-Tsong.”

“I was so tired of the parts I had to play. Why is it that the screen Chinese is always the villain? And so crude a villain--murderous, treacherous, a snake in the grass.” -Anna May Wong


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Ismat Chughtai (1915 - 1991)

Feminist Novelist and Screenwriter

Ismat Chughtai was a revolutionary feminist, novelist and screenwriter during the late 20th century. She used writing as an outlet to express her thoughts on femininity and women's rights.

Chughtai was severely criticized for her outlook on the roles of women, but never backed down even after she was arraigned for writing a (now critically-acclaimed) novel which touched on unconventional topics.

She wrote numerous novels which grew to be bestsellers not only in India, but in the United States as well. She co-directed her own movie based off a book she had written, which was voted one of the best films of 1948.

Chughtai was a firm believer that women should voice their opinions, and established herself as a voice for young Indian and Muslim women in the late 1900s.

"I do not think men and women are two different kinds of beings. Even as a child, I always insisted on doing everything that my brothers did." - Ismat Chughtai


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Faith Ringgold (1930 - Present)

Artist, Civil Rights Activist, and Author

Faith Ringgold is an artist and writer, known for her unique forms of art such as soft sculpture, masks and story quilts. She used her talents to express the nuances of black culture and history in her art due to her passion for civil rights and activism. Author of multiple wonderful children’s books, Ringgold has combined her love for art and storytelling to pass along important life lessons to children.

Ringgold has almost 75 awards including an Honorary Doctorate of Fine Arts and the NAACP Image Award.

“You can't sit around and wait for somebody to say who you are.” -Faith Ringgold


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Mary Quant (1934 - Present)

Feminist Fashion Designer

Mary Quant is an English designer born in England in the 1930s. She has been an icon in the fashion world, but not many people know of her lasting impacts on the clothing industry. She is the pioneer behind the miniskirt and hotpants of the 1960s which are still largely seen on people today.

Quant used the freedoms of the Swinging Sixties to put together clothing that women proudly wore. She designed clothing items that became staples of fashion and changed the closets of women in England and all over the world. She made a large impact on fashion history and has gone down as an influential designer of the 1960s and beyond.

“Fashion is not frivolous. It is a part of being alive today.”- Mary Quant


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