페미니즘 미술에 나타난 의상의 상징적 의미

Abstract

Background In Feminism art, costumes are a conceptual medium that best expresses identity of women. Artists have attempted to express diversely a wide range of life issues experienced by women. This study aims to categorize and analyze symbolic meanings expressed through costumes in feminism art. Method First, literature review was conducted for theoretical discussions of feminism art. Based on this review, the works of art involving costumes in feminism art released since the 1960s were explored and analyzed through literature review and the Internet search. Results There are some unique formal characteristics in Feminism art, which are distinguished from media forms generalized in conceptual art. Feminism art introduced feminine crafts such as sewing and quilting which used to be regarded inferior to pure art and embraced women’s body as elements of construction for works of art. The message that feminist artists meant to deliver through costumes can be categorized as suppression of women in the hierarchical marriage system, forced virginity and marriage as a means of sexual satisfaction, sexual instrumentalization and commercialization of females, psychological and physical violence and sexual exploitation of women, re-production related to biological reproduction or social activities, physical suppression of women to enforce an ideal body shape, diversification of femininity and recognition of cultural differences. Conclusion Feminist artists have created another language or a new mode of expression to represent women by expressing a wide range of women's life issues through costumes. In such a context, costumes have fulfilled an important role in conceptualizing or symbolizing such things as marriage, bride, virginity, menstruation, womb, embryo, rape, dead women, commercialized women, diversification of femininity, class, cultural differences, etc.