The Easel

4th August 2026

Betye Saar, influential assemblage artist who ‘liberated’ Aunt Jemima, dies at 99

Carolina Miranda | LA Times | 27th July 2026

Saar leapt into fine art on seeing an exhibition of assemblages by Joseph Cornell. Soon enough she was scouring garage sales for objects with “a certain energy” that she could use in her shoe box sized assemblages. Often, they addressed political themes, most famously those where she included (and ridiculed) Black mammy figures that represented “Black female servitude”. Said she,” I like to think I recycled those images from negative to positive”. Images of some key works are here.

28th July 2026

Their art was whimsical, elegant, ‘scandalous,’ and colorful. It was also revolutionary.

Cathryn J Prince | Forward | 27th July 2026

The Wiener Werkstätte opened in 1903 with grand ambitions and produced sleek modernist objects (jewellery, tableware, fashions, ceramics) using expensive materials. It was highly influential – think the Bauhaus and minimalism. Art history gives most credit for this to the male founders but in fact female designers and artisans were major contributors. They helped “shape modernity” and women’s roles and capabilities in that emerging world. Says one critic, “gender is a very vital subject.“. Images are here.

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