Miriam Schapiro

Date of Birth: November 15, 1923

Zodiac Sign: Scorpio

Date of Death: June 20, 2015

Biography

Miriam Schapiro was a pioneering artist and a leading figure in the feminist art movement. Born in Canada, she later moved to the United States where she made significant contributions to the art world. Schapiro is best known for her work in collage, painting, and printmaking, and she played a crucial role in the Pattern and Decoration art movement of the 1970s. Her art often incorporated traditionally “feminine” crafts such as quilting and embroidery, challenging the boundaries between fine art and craft. Schapiro was also a co-founder of the Feminist Art Program at the California Institute of the Arts, alongside Judy Chicago. Throughout her career, she sought to elevate the status of women’s art and explore themes related to women’s experiences and identities.

5 Interesting Facts about Miriam Schapiro

1. Miriam Schapiro was one of the first artists to integrate computer technology into her art, creating a series of computer-based prints in the 1980s.

2. She coined the term “femmage” to describe her collage works that combined traditional women’s crafts with modern art practices.

3. Schapiro’s work has been exhibited in major institutions including the Museum of Modern Art in New York and the Smithsonian American Art Museum.

4. She received numerous awards and honors, including the College Art Association’s Distinguished Artist Award for Lifetime Achievement.

5. Miriam Schapiro was instrumental in the Womanhouse project, an iconic feminist art installation that took place in Los Angeles in 1972.

5 Most Interesting Quotes from Miriam Schapiro

1. “My art is a way of reclaiming the female experience and giving it a place in the history of art.”

2. “Feminism has given me the courage to create in a way that is true to my own experiences.”

3. “Art should challenge the status quo and make people think differently about the world.”

4. “In my work, I try to merge the personal with the political, the past with the present.”

5. “Pattern and decoration are not trivial; they are a vital part of our visual culture.”

Highest Net Worth Achieved

At the peak of her career, Miriam Schapiro’s net worth was estimated to be around $1 million, primarily from the sale of her artworks and contributions to major exhibitions and collections.