Judy Chicago interview excerpt - controversy

01/04/11 • 4 min

Oral History Collection from the Archives of American Art

Judy Chicago's bold do-it-yourself attitude empowered her to make her own reality in the art world. In this excerpt from an interview conducted in 2009 for the Archives of American Art, she talks about her major collaborative piece, The Dinner Party, an installation of place settings for 39 mythical and historical famous women. When The Dinner Party was first exhibited in 1979 to critical acclaim, Chicago was surprised that it also generated controversy. This interview was funded by the Terra Foundation for American Art. The first voice you will hear is interviewer Judith Richards.

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Robert Bechtle interview excerpt

From the mid-1960s to the present, Robert Bechtle has created sharply-focused pictures of people and street scenes with a special attention to automobiles. In this excerpt from an oral history interview conducted in 2010 for the Archives of American Art, Bechtle talks about using photography as a visual aid, as well as the value of seeing his subjects from different vantage points. The first voice you will hear is interviewer Judith Richards. This interview was funded by the Terra Foundation for American Art.

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