Feminist Art Pioneer Miriam Schapiro Dies at 91

Miriam Schapiro, a pioneering feminist artist, painter, sculptor, and printmaker, passed away at age 91. Born in Toronto, she became a central figure in 1970s feminist art in the United States. Schapiro co-founded the first feminist art program at the California Institute of the Arts in Valencia. She collaborated with Judy Chicago on the landmark installation Womanhouse, which featured contributions from 28 female artists. Schapiro developed the aesthetic methodology 'femmage,' which incorporated collage, assemblage, and photomontage using domestic materials like cloth and fabric. This approach employed traditional women's techniques such as sewing, piecing, hooking, cutting, appliquéing, and cooking. Her work gained increased recognition over the past decade, notably through inclusion in the 2007 exhibition WACK! Art and the Feminist Revolution at MOCA LA. Despite this recognition, her contributions remain underrepresented in art historical narratives.