Thursday, March 20, 2014

Les Femmes Folles



Title: Les Femmes Folles: The Women 2013
Author: Sally Deskins
Publication Date: March 1, 2014
Publisher: LFF Books
Number of Pages: 120
How I Got It: from Author
Format: PDF


Info on LFFB:
Les Femmes Folles is a completely volunteer run organization founded in 2011 with the mission to support and promote women in all forms, styles and levels of art with the online journal, anthologies, books, exhibitions and events; originally inspired by artist Wanda Ewing and her curated exhibit by the name Les Femmes Folles (Wild Women). LFF was created and is curated by Sally Deskins.  LFF Books is a micro-feminist press that publishes 1-2 books per year by the creators of Les Femmes Folles including Intimates & Fools (Laura Madeline Wiseman, 2014). Other titles include Les Femmes Folles: The Women 2011, 2012 and 2013, available on blurb.com, including art, poetry and interview excerpts from women artists. A portion of the proceeds from LFF books and products benefit the University of Nebraska-Omaha’s Wanda Ewing Scholarship Fund.

My Review:
If you want to support women in the arts, I can think of no better book to purchase for yourself or to give as a gift. Each page of Les Femmes Folles: The Women 2013 is graced with women writers, poets, photographers, musicians, sculptors, and illustrators along with their amazing artwork and profound statements about the art they create and themselves as artists.  In this male dominated world, many women find self-expression to be a difficult task, but these amazing women are offering their talents every day. This compilation is sure to inspire any woman and motivate readers to pursue or embrace their own artistic talents. A necessary addition to any modern art collection, this book is dedicated to a close friend and mentor of author Sally Deskins, Wanda Ewing. The following quote from Ewing points out the struggles of female artists in all genres:

"It's a double-edged sword. If you're anything but a white-male. straight artist, you're always going to be 'the other;' whatever seperates you is going to define you initially. For myself, 'black, female artist;' those things come first. They don't just say 'artist Wanda Ewing,' they say 'African-American artist...' or 'black female artist'... But I do think it [feminism]is totally relevant, because let's face it, that glass ceiling was installed with perma-ceilant..."

Rather than lament the inequalities faced by women artists, Deskins shines a light on them. By doing this she (and her fellow artists) is/are pushing back against the patriarchy of the art world by carving out places for themselves. These women aren't waiting to be accepted on pre-defined terms, they are creating their own terms, their own stories, their own art. And that is legendary. 

You can preview Les Femmes Folles 2013 here

Deskins illustrated another book that I recently reviewed, Intimates and Fools



** I received this book in exchange for an honest review **


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