Mariana Méndez, Uruguay
XXIst Century Kinescope
From the series Modern Bodies
1994
Black and white photography
0.30 x 0.40 m
Property of the artist, Montevideo, Uruguay





Virginia Patrone, 1950- ,Uruguay, Untitled
1994
Acrylic on canvas, 1.31 x 1.88 m
Engelman Ost Collection, Montevideo, Uruguay





Matilde Campodónico, Uruguay
Excerpt from the series Groundwater
1999
Photograph
0,80 m x 1 m
Property of the artist, Montevideo, Uruguay







Florencia Flanagan, 1968- , Uruguay
Detail of the installation Manipulation
1999
Mixed media
Installation of varying dimensions
Property of the artist, Montevideo, Uruguay





Claudia Anselmi, 1958- , Uruguay
Excerpt from the series Discoveries
2000
Various techniques on tissue overlay in bas-relief
0,64 m x 0,22 m x 0,12 m
Property of the artist, Montevideo, Uruguay









Agueda Dicancro, Uruguay
Other visions
1995
Installation (glass, wood, neon, mixed techniques)
3,85 m x 7,75 m x 10,40 m
Engelman Ost Collection, Montevideo, Uruguay





Lacy Duarte, 1937- , Uruguay
Offering
1989
Acrylic on canvas
1,80m x 1,30 m
Engelman Ost Collection , Montevideo, Uruguay





Pilar González, 1950- , Uruguay
Night Woman
1998
Mixed technique on embroidered tablecloth
1,50 m x 1,40 m
Property of the artist, Montevideo, Uruguay





Cecilia Vignolo, 1971- , Uruguay
Detail of The Exteriority of My Body’s Interiority
1999
IInstallation, mixed techniques
Varying dimensions
Taken from the book Bienal Mercosur, p. 125
Property of the artist, Montevideo, Uruguay





Analía Pollio, 1971- , Uruguay
The Beauty Parlour
1996
Photograph
0,80 m x 1 m
Property of the artist, Montevideo, Uruguay





Carolina Sobrino, 1969- , Uruguay
From the series Country Toys III
2000
Photographie
Property of the artist, , Montevideo, Uruguay
 

Museo Virtual de Artes El País

Uruguayan artists are part of the visual discourse supporting the social construction of identity — a concept that cannot be encapsulated in a single definition. Through artwork, the voices of different female visual artists are rising together to challenge the stereotypes associated with the female universe.

Women’s art has acquired new value in contemporary Uruguay, in keeping with the changes in the social condition of Uruguayan women since the 1960s. This transformation has materialized in various ways, including a greater role and autonomy for women in society, a marked participation in the labour market, a significant contribution to household incomes, the emergence of movements promoting sexual equality, as well as the advent of various feminist organizations and women’s associations. Also worth noting is the fact that books have been published on such issues as female sexuality, women’s place in politics, the profile of women who run for office and women’s rights in public and private life, as well as works on menstruation and menopause. Finally, Uruguayan society has also exhibited greater tolerance and acceptance of new behaviours. Against this backdrop, other major shifts have taken place in society, namely the acceptance of common-law relationships, pre-marital sex, sexual freedom, and the distinction between sexuality, marriage and procreation.

For the past 15 years, Uruguay has seen a growing number of female visual artists appear on the scene. Intensely creative, these women use a range of techniques and languages to make their voices heard, including installations, paintings, photographs, drawings, etchings, videos, sculptures, ceramics and performance art. In short, there are as many different techniques as there are themes covered. Spanning different generations, this group of young and well-established artists have one thing in common — promoting their status as female artists

Directly or indirectly, these artists address the issue of sexual identity. Although some deal with female themes in candid fashion, most have opted for indirect, metaphorical approaches, allowing them to escape the narrow confines of overly explicit messages and discourse. Standing outside the ranks of any particular movement or feminist trend, but drawing on the strengths of the new social role of women, they are challenging the limits of patriarchal and « androcentric » structures, and rising up against the predominance of male values.

Depicting women in unconventional situations, these artists’ paintings contrast sharply with the images traditionally associated with the female sex. They therefore challenge the sexist visions of gender. Their art reveals the problems related to women’s development. Several works present women as liberated from marginalization, from the boundaries of domestic life and from their traditional roles.

Many of these artists portray a world of passion and explore fundamental experiences such as maternity. Some stage liberating scenes, and yet others represent women as active, intense beings free of the contemplative passivity that pervades traditional images.

Some artists use an autobiographical approach to demystify stereotypical concepts of women. For many, « history » becomes « herstory. »

Carolina Sobrino, 1969- , Uruguay
From the series Country Toys III
2000
Photograph
Property of the artist, Montevideo, Uruguay

Alicia Haber, Director, MUVA, Montevideo, Uruguay
Laszlo Erdelyi, Publisher, MUVA, Montevideo, Uruguay

We wish to thank the following artists for their contribution to the project:

Claudia Anselmi, Uruguay
Matilde Campodónico, Uruguay
Agueda Dicancro, Uruguay
Florencia Flanagan, Uruguay
Virginia Patrone., Uruguay
Analía Pollio, Uruguay
Carolina Sobrino, Uruguay
Cecilia Vignolo, Uruguay


One of the objectives of the Museo Virtual de Artes El País (MUVA) is to showcase the Uruguayan identity as it is expressed in the visual arts. The genre, especially when addressing female art, constitutes one of the fundamental themes of identity. The museum is organizing a series of exhibitions in 2001 featuring the visual production of Uruguayan women.