The Un-Heroic Act is a concentrated survey of works by a diverse roster of artists representing three generations – and including Jenny Holzer, Suzanne Lacy, Ana Mendieta, Senga Nengudi, Yoko Ono, and Kara Walker, Kathleen Gilje – which aims to fill a gap in the history of art, where the subject of rape has been represented by countless historical depictions by male artists, called ‘heroic acts’ by Susan Brownmiller. What makes women’s works radically different is the focus not on the action or drama, but on the lasting psychological devastation of the victim: her suffering, silence, shame, and loneliness. Recent works also address regaining control over the victim’s sexuality and psyche and reclaiming the cultural narrative. Often strikingly beautiful, these works are rarely shown or their true meaning is obscured.

ARTISTS IN THE EXHIBITION: Yoko Ono, Ana Mendieta, Senga Nengudi, Suzanne Lacy, Lynn Hershman Leeson, Carolee Thea, Guerrilla Girls, Jenny Holzer, Kathleen Gilje, Angela Fraleigh, Natalie Frank, Jennifer Karady, Sonya Kelliher-Combs, Andrea Bowers, Ada Trillo, Kara Walker, Roya Amigh, Naima Ramos-Chapman, Bang Geul Han, and Guerrilla Girls Broadband.

The Narratives of Young Women "about Being a Girl"
This video includes 12 animated paintings and audio from Gilje’s conversations with young women, discussing gender, politics, bullying, beauty, hope, dreams, fears and love.

IN THE CUT
DER MÄNNLICHE KÖRPER IN DER FEMINISTISCHEN KUNST

PDF of catalog for Bruce Museum exhibition. Essays by Peter C. Sutton, John Yau, Linda Nochlin, Robert Rosenblum and Francis Naumann (interview with artist), generously illustrated

Language and Philosophy by Phillip Perry

Kathleen Gilje's retrospective at the Bruce Museum, Greenwich, CT.

Revised and Restored: The Art of Kathleen Gilje
May 11, 2013 - September 8, 2013

Kathleen Gilje's retrospective at the Flint Institute of Arts, Flint, MI

PDF of the painting series "48 Portraits: Sargent's Women, Restored" with a description of the women. Essay by John Yau.