Hej! My name is Anne-Louise from Sweden, and I created Mikono Art and the Women’s Art History Explained series. And here is how and why I created it.
It’s an entirely solo and non-funded project that started out as a hobby in 2019, but it has a backstory. It’s been a learn-by-doing process, and along the way I have made mistakes, probably with the Women’s Art History Explained series as well, but I hope the meaning of the series is bigger than any mistake. I have been careful with credits, which you can find in the description boxes on YouTube, but I might have made mistakes along the way.
The Question That Changed Everything
But back to the Mikono Art story and Women’s Art History Explained series. It started a long time ago with a very simple question that no one was able to answer. In my late teens I attended a history class. I don’t remember what the subject was, but the male teacher was interrupted by one of the braver girls in the class asking, “What did the women do?” A very awkward atmosphere fell over the room; some started giggling, as if that was a very silly question to ask. The male teacher was gobsmacked, but eventually he said, “They took care of the children and cooked food.” What I remember from that moment is that it felt like I was placed in a vacuum, very confused, and I clearly remember thinking, “Are we allowed to ask questions like this?” That thought has followed me through life without me really understanding why, or what I can do about it, until…
The Second Question Emerged
“Can you name 5 women artists?”* popped up on my screen around 2016. And that was a hard no: I could not name 5 women artists. Male artists, no problem. Female – a complete blank. By now I was starting to become slightly annoyed and frustrated, and it wasn’t until I worked as a consultant for a client who loved videos, and realised that I’m not so bad at that, that I was able to put two and two together. Women artists + video = YouTube.
The Story Behind Women’s Art History Explained
Over the years, I have longed to give women artists the same space as their male counterparts. If you look at art movement videos, women artists are rarely mentioned, if at all. At best a footnote. So I started to think about how to do that. I realised it was a massive project and that I needed a reliable source to work from. And I found, by chance, Herstory: A History of Women Artists by Deborah Gustlin and Zoe Gustlin. It was a great source, because I didn’t know much about art or women artists. (I do know now 😉). But putting it all together has been rewarding, extremely difficult at times, giving me anxiety and a cocktail of mixed feelings. I actually took a pause from my career as a freelance tech consultant just to do this, because it required a lot of thought process and energy. While researching and producing the series, I worked as event staff at concerts and as a cleaner at a hospital. And yes, I have questioned my choice many times, but now that the series is completed, I feel relieved, grateful and at peace, because the production has answered the two lifelong questions for me: “What did the women do?” and “Can you name 5 women artists?” Even though the series is about art, you also gain an understanding of women’s history in general, and of 45,000+ years of women’s art history that is now for all to view and share. I didn’t do this as a competition but as completion. And this is my gift to all those who, like me, have similar questions about women, art and history. I hope you enjoy the journey as much as I have!
* #5WomenArtists, National Museum of Women in the Arts
Text provided by the National Museum of Women in the Arts (NMWA):
Since 2016, the National Museum of Women in the Arts (NMWA) in Washington, D.C. has posed a simple yet profound question: “Can you name five women artists?” The initiative has ignited a powerful shift in public awareness, challenging ongoing gender inequity in the art world. Using the hashtag #5WomenArtists, the campaign calls attention to the fact that women and nonbinary artists have not been treated equally in the art world, and today they remain dramatically underrepresented and undervalued in museums, galleries, and auction houses. Each year, thousands of cultural organizations and individuals take to social media to answer the challenge, sparking a global conversation about gender equity in the arts. NMWA is the first museum in the world dedicated solely to championing women and non-binary artists.