Miriam Schapiro was a Canadian-born American artist who helped launch the Pattern and Decoration art movement in the 1970s. She created "Femmages," which combined techniques like needlework, fabric collage, and painting. Her large-scale work "Anatomy of a Kimono" from 1976 used traditionally feminine crafts to challenge the patriarchal view of what constituted "high art." Schapiro collaborated with Judy Chicago on one of the first feminist art exhibitions called "Womanhouse" in 1972, which explored women's domestic roles and stereotypes through installations and performances.

1. Miriam Schapiro

3. Miriam Schapiro, Anatomy of a Kimono , 1976 (detail). Whole work 2 x 17.3 metres. What do you think this work means? Is it merely decorative or is there more to it? How do you know this?

4. Details of some of Schapiro’s ‘femmages’, these works attempt to break the barrier between art and craft by reintroducing pattern and decoration into the modernist art world.

5. Schapiro, Kimono , collage and acrylic on canvase 60 x 50”

7. Double Rose acrylic and fabric, 1973

8. Schapiro, Mother Russia , fan, 1994 acrylic and mixed media on canvas 80 x 90 “

9. 9 Patch Quilt acrylic fabric, paper collage, 1973

11. This exhibition was an installation and performance piece set up in an abandoned 17-room house in Hollywood, California. The exhibitors actively strove to introduce woman-centered art. The theme of the exhibition was women’s work in the home and parodied stereotypes about women. After the foundation of their Feminist art program in 1971, Judy Chicago and Miriam Shapiro jointly organised in 1972 one of the first-ever feminist art exhibitions - Womanhouse . COLLABORATION –A Feminist Art Strategy

12. Womanhouse 1972 Judy Chicago , Re-installation of Menstruation Bathroom from Womanhouse in the Division of Labor exhibition, Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles, CA 1995.

14. Womanhouse 1972 Students renovating the space for Womanhouse Los Angeles, CA. Bridal Staircase by Kathy Huberland Ironing performed by Sandra Orgel

15. Womanhouse explored and challenged (with a mixture of longing, nostalgia, horror and rage) –the domestic role historically assigned to women in middle-class American society. Woman House was important because it was a step toward building an art that allowed women to feel that their lives had meaning, that their experiences were rich, and that they had something of value to contribute to the world as women. As one woman said, “it was the first work of art she had ever seen that she completely understood.” “ For men whose identity was deeply invested in male role playing and masculine dominance, the whole environment was so threatening that they could not even begin to evaluate the work as art.”

16. COLLABORATION As with Chicago’s Dinner party Schapiro’s Fans, and Womanhouse we see large numbers of Women working together (over 400). This was opposed to the Patriarchal ethos of the art world –where artists like Pollock typified the tendency of the lone Artist working in private. Consciousness raising is also demonstrated through the work. Other points of note about Womanhouse: Chicago, Schapiro their students and artists from the local community participated. Proceeds from the sale of various artefacts were channelled back into the Feminist Art Program. Only women were allowed to view the exhibition on its first day, after that; all come, all see. Key feminist strategy