Siri Hustvedt's 'The Blazing World' tackles art-world gender bias through artist Harriet Burden's revenge scheme.
Siri Hustvedt's sixth novel, released in May 2014, centers on Harriet Burden, a fictional artist who grapples with being marginalized due to gender bias. Following her husband's passing, she embarks on the 'Maskings' project, showcasing her art under three male aliases to confront the male-dominated art scene. The narrative, presented as an archive by scholar I.V. Hess, explores Burden's alter egos: Anton Tish, Phineas Q. Eldridge, and Rune, each shaping critics' views. Her pieces, including a representation of her late husband, are noted for their literal approach. Burden's frustration highlights feminist inequities, culminating in her loss of authority to Rune, whose art is a bland façade. The novel critiques the New York art scene's obsession with celebrity, referencing the Guerilla Girls in a footnote.
Key facts
- Siri Hustvedt's sixth novel 'The Blazing World' was published in May 2014
- The novel features fictional artist Harriet Burden, who feels overlooked due to sexism and intellect
- Burden's 'Maskings' project involves exhibiting her work under three male artist identities: Anton Tish, Phineas Q. Eldridge, and Rune
- The novel is structured as an archive compiled by scholar I.V. Hess
- Burden's artworks include an effigy of her husband behind misty glass and an installation with wall quotations and a sculpture
- Critics interpret Burden's work differently under each male guise: art history, identity, seduction and masculinity
- Rune is portrayed as a master trickster whose art consists of bland deceptions
- Burden's anger stems from feminist injustice and the gendered nature of consciousness
Entities
Artists
- Siri Hustvedt
- Harriet Burden
- Anton Tish
- Phineas Q. Eldridge
- Rune
- I.V. Hess
- Guerilla Girls
Institutions
- ArtReview
Locations
- New York
- United States