ABSTRACT
The introduction works to establish the early exploration of female body image in art and how it was closely tied to the rise of feminism and various societal advancements for women. Ironing out these developments and articulating how women’s physique became a viable topic for artists sets the stage for a thorough investigation in four key, pathbreaking pieces: Adrian Piper’s Food for the Spirit (1971), Eleanor Antin’s Carving: A Traditional Sculpture (1972), Barbara T. Smith’s Feed Me (1973), and Martha Rosler’s Losing: A Conversation With the Parents (1977). In the various ways that they deal with the female form, these works show how, for the first time, female artists could critique the societal pressures on the female body.
