The Feminist Future

This symposium poses the critical question: After the activism of the 1960s and 1970s and the “postfeminist” critiques of the 1980s and 1990s, what is the future of feminism—in art, scholarship, and politics? The Feminist Future brings together international, multigenerational leaders in contemporary art, art history, and related fields who have shaped current discourses on gender. Speakers include feminist theorists, activists, and scholars; artists dealing with issues of gender in their work; museum professionals; and other preeminent theorists of gender. Invited scholars will be asked to discuss these issues in 20-minute formal presentations. Our goal is to help define the current state of feminist discourses, the role of gender in contemporary art and scholarship, and the ways in which gender is addressed by museums and in academia. The Feminist Future launches MoMA’s Women’s Initiative, and inaugurates a series of events at the Museum, including a graduate seminar in winter–spring 2007, a graduate symposium in April 2008, and the publication of a major book on women artists in MoMA's collection in fall 2008.