The 1970s marked a turning point in art history. Alongside political activism, protests for equality, and cultural upheaval, women artists began to reshape the art world with new voices, new symbols, and new movements. This was the era when feminist art took center stage—challenging patriarchal traditions, exposing hidden biases, and carving out space for the representation of women on their own terms.
Today, the legacy of feminist art in the 70s lives on in contemporary female portrait posters and symbolic wall art, where archetypes of strength, vulnerability, and resistance are reimagined for modern audiences.
The Voices of a Movement
In the 1970s, artists like Judy Chicago, Miriam Schapiro, and Ana Mendieta emerged as leaders of a growing feminist art movement. Their work questioned why women had been left out of art history and demanded recognition for craft, performance, and personal narratives that had been dismissed as “domestic” or “minor.”
Chicago’s groundbreaking installation The Dinner Party (1979) turned the traditionally feminine act of setting a table into a monumental artwork celebrating women throughout history. Mendieta used her body and the natural landscape to address identity, belonging, and gendered violence.
These voices expanded what art could mean, both in content and in form. They argued that the personal was political, and art became a platform for transformation.
Symbols of Feminist Art
Feminist art of the 70s was rich with symbols drawn from archetypes, rituals, and the body itself. Vaginal forms, circular patterns, textiles, and natural materials were used to reclaim imagery that had been overlooked or objectified.
For some, the female body became the central canvas—painted, photographed, or staged in performance. For others, mythological figures and archetypes were reinterpreted to reflect women’s agency rather than subordination.
These symbols were not only provocative; they were liberating. They shifted attention from the idealized female nude (painted by men for centuries) to the woman as subject, author, and storyteller of her own image.
Movements and Collectives
The rise of feminist art in the 70s wasn’t just about individuals; it was also about collectives and collaboration. Groups like the Womanhouse project in Los Angeles created immersive environments where women artists transformed domestic spaces into critiques of patriarchy.
Across the world, feminist galleries and publications provided platforms for voices that had been excluded. The movement was global: from Europe to Latin America, women used art to speak about oppression, liberation, sexuality, and identity.
This collective energy was crucial. It ensured that feminist art was not a passing trend but a sustained movement that changed institutions and inspired future generations.
Archetypal Women in Contemporary Art
The symbols of feminist art in the 70s continue to resonate today. In my own symbolic female portraits, I often explore archetypes of women as both mythic and modern: guardians, rebels, saints, lovers, and warriors.
These portraits are not decorative alone; they speak to the complexity of femininity. A female face surrounded by surreal botanicals or symbolic hybrids becomes more than an image—it becomes a statement about identity, power, and resilience.
This approach ties directly to the legacy of the 70s. Just as feminist artists then used art to reclaim the narrative, my works aim to create wall art prints that empower and provoke reflection, connecting personal expression to broader cultural history.
Why the 70s Still Matter
The feminist art of the 1970s is not a closed chapter. Its influence is everywhere: in contemporary portraiture, in symbolic art, in activist posters, and in how museums now rethink their collections.
The 70s showed that art can be a tool for change. It can shift cultural perception, challenge power, and create community. Feminist art gave women permission to take up visual space—and to turn pain, anger, and hope into forms that endure.
For anyone hanging a female portrait poster inspired by feminist symbols, the resonance is clear: it’s not just art, it’s part of an ongoing dialogue.
Symbols of Resistance and Renewal
Feminist art in the 70s was about more than gender—it was about redefining art itself. By reclaiming symbols, amplifying voices, and creating movements, women reshaped the cultural landscape.
Today, when we see symbolic female portraits or feminist-inspired wall art, we are looking at a continuation of that legacy. These works remind us that art has the power to be both personal and political, decorative and transformative.
The women of the 70s gave us tools, images, and courage. The task now is to keep those symbols alive—in galleries, in homes, and in everyday life.
