Joan of Arc. Joan Collins. Joan Jett. Joan Baez, Joans Bennett and Fontaine but nope, no recollection of a ‘Joan Eardley’. Who dat? An artist, a painter. A gifted and talented human gone much too soon, one whose work can be found in prominent galleries in her native – and beloved – Scotland.
Why are certain artists remembered and others forgotten? Gender certainly plays a role, timing too. The art world is a nightmare, I have always thought, which elevates ‘enfants terribles’ – the badly behaved, sensational or shocking – over many other equally or more talented others whose art is also alive with power and unique, bold or moving uses of color.
Men have traditionally been the gatekeepers, so yes, more males get ahead and are made much of and remembered, while women artists like Joan Eardley – who also died young at age 42 (bad luck and timing, that) – are often forgot.
Here she is at work:
Let’s remember Eardley, elevating and celebrating her artistic gifts and work as wholly deserving of note and notice. As does her death, which was in part due to her doctor (one can only presume a male) ignoring her symptoms; that led to what was undiagnosed and untreated breast cancer spreading to her brain. Women and their symptoms – their… OUR knowledge of our own bodies continues to be a life-threatening challenge to this day. Sigh.
Eardley’s wiki page is linked below. If Hollywood seeks artsy bio-pic material (her father was a victim of shell-shock in the First World War, among many other notable points of interest), Eardley’s short, eventful life has my vote.
I love her work, and her use of color. The variety of her subjects is also compelling, admirable, humbling. It also reminds me that maybe, just maybe, I need to return to Scotland.
