Ah, August. It’s that time of year when summer starts winding down, kids scramble to finish (and/or fake) their summer reading reports, and every lifestyle blog ever offers its unsolicited advice to incoming college freshman. My greatest guilty pleasure is scrolling through these posts as if I have no idea how college works or how to prepare for diving headfirst into a cesspool of hormones and questionable decisions.
One of my new favorite listicles of this nature is Buzzfeed’s “The Definitive Ranking Of College Dorm Room Posters” which I found to be so unfortunately accurate. Then I was inspired and took to the internet! The lovely students in University of Washington’s Feminist Art & Visual Culture class curated a Feminist Art Archive for all that find themselves curious about these amazing artists – the perfect source for possible dorm room posters.
Now, armed only with my uncalled-for desire to improve the lives of college freshman EVERYWHERE, I present to you: Feminist Art Posters for Your Dorm Room. Now, instead of ILLEGALLY drinking underage (We’re on to you! Just kidding.) under cliché Pink Floyd Butt posters and John Belushi’s face, we can revel in pre-adulthood freedom alongside our feminist heroes.
Yayoi Kusama
Driving Image (detail), c. 1959-64. 12″x 12″ print, $19.99. Purchasable at art.com.
Collage with photograph by Hal Reiff of Yayoi Kusama reclining on Accumulation No.2, 1966. Purchasable at Matsumoto City Museum of Art website – via yayoi-kusama.jp.
The reigning queen of polka-dots adds a little fun to your boring cinderblock walls, don’t ya think?
Artemisia Gentileschi
Judith and Holofernes. 18″x24″ Giclee Print. $49.99. Purchasable at art.com.
Just in case you wanted people to know you passed History of Western Art 2, throw this sucker up on your wall. Look at you. You’re taking down the patriarchy metaphorically with Judith and impressing people with your intellect.
Judy Chicago
The Dinner Party poster – Installation view, UCLA. 1996. $35. Purchasable at throughtheflower.org.
Guests to your room better know at least one of these women that would be a guest to Judy Chicago’s Dinner Party – otherwise, you can educate them with this poster.
Guerrilla Girls
Do Women Have to Be Naked to Get into the Met Museum?. 12″x26″. $20. Purchasable at guerrillagirls.com.
Let everyone know you’re just as fearless as these feminist art defenders with this legendary poster!
Faith Ringgold
Sunflower Quilting Bee at Arles. 23″x29″. $14.99. Purchasable at allposters.com.
Faith’s stuff can remind you of home & family, which is a nice way to stay grounded when you’re exploring the nefarious ins-and-outs of college.
Notorious RBG
Notorious R.B.G.. $34.00. Purchasable at lookhuman.com.
Sorry – I just couldn’t resist. She’s too great. Rep RBG ’til the end.
Of course, if you cannot find a print of your favorite artist’s work, you can always take the DIY route and make a poster yourself! Get crafty with zazzle.com or go to your nearest Kinko’s to print a larger copy of it. And, of course, this is not even the beginning of feminist art possibilities! If your favorite isn’t on this list, feel free to add them in the comments!
So there you go feminist freshman – let no boring poster trends rule your dorm room style and bring your own grrrly twist into the mix!
Images via yayoi-kusama.jp, art.com, throughtheflower.org, guerrillagirls.org, allposters.com, lookhuman.com, buzzfeed.com.
