"And we'll never be as young as we are right now, running away and running for home,running for home".
So, here's hoping that you are reading, and possibly even wanting to read some more about the extraordinary female war artists that I felt like I knew, after researching them for a year and three months writing. I will always be proud of this piece of writing, Here is my first chapter.
Female War Artists'. Part 1..
HOW WAR HAS SHAPED AND INFLUENCED FEMALE ARTISTS' LIVES
Prior
to the founding of the Women's Work Sub-Committee, there was no
artistic representation for female artists. Due to this, 'determined
artists, working independently and without government aegis, found
themselves close to the front-line through medical work in hospitals
and ambulance units, and began recording what they saw.' (Akbar) Once
established, the WWS became focused on recording female artists'
representations of war, and was also in a position to bring their
work into the Imperial War Museum's collection. It took a group like
the WWS, founded by women in support of women artists, for their work
to eventually gain some sense of publicity and identification.
Although today, the support of female artists has developed, and
males are more inclined to comment on the positives of female works
of art; it took women to voice appreciations of each other's artistic
achievements, for men to eventually change their point of view and
direction of appreciation.
The
restrictions for female artists were in company with attitudes toward
female soldiers; both could only acquire limited roles. It wasn't
until after the War in 1982 that a woman was commissioned and 'sent
overseas to accompany troops going into battle.' (Palmer 7) When
commissioned during the war, it was made clear that women were not to
be present among the fighting. However, some women unofficially went
beyond the boundaries that they were permitted to, from the 'early
1900s, when it was indecent for women to be witnessing war from the
brutality of the front, female artists produced their own images,
many creating unofficial portraits surreptitiously as they worked in
weapons factories, in hospital wards and on the ambulance vans of the
First and Second World Wars.' (Akbar) Many years later, the
boundaries on women's positions of documenting war were still in
place. In 1982, Linda Kitson (b. 1945) disobeyed these guidelines
during her commission to document the Falklands War, her 'original
intention was […] that
she disembark at Ascension Island and go no further. Instead she
continued to accompany the troops throughout the campaign'. (Palmer
19) Kitson's commission 'attracted enormous media interest, much of
it relating to her gender.' (19) She produced 400 conté
crayon drawings over three months and would usually follow behind by
a few days, to avoid the fighting. Kitson's work during this time,
including 2nd
Battalion Scots Guards in the Sheep Sheds at Fitzroy, 17 June 1982
(Fig
8),
which
captures the troops' daily lives, the conditions they dealt with and
the aspects of the front-line, excluding the conflict. The nature of
the works' medium gives an authentic documentation of the troops
lives during the war.
Another female artist, Margaret Abbess (1922-2008), enrolled into War Art after delaying her place offer at the Royal College of Art; she started working in a factory producing springs for spitfires. It was here that she created works that should only have been produced with the possession of a permit, which she did not have. She made 'sketches in her rest breaks and [went] home to work on the images. She was thinking of throwing them all away in 2005 when a family member told her to bring them [to the Imperial War Museum]' (Akbar) She would make quick sketches in the bathroom and adapt them at home from memory; scenes such as her journey to work, people talking at gates, and men and women congregating. Kathleen Palmer, author and curator of the Women War Artists book and exhibition at the IWM says 'for her they were work that she did before she completed her studies and I don't think she realised the significance of what she has done'. Tea Break, c.1943 (fig 9) shows the rarity of men and women working together, and is one of very few showing rest breaks. On first reflection, it would appear not to be a work closely associated with war. Like Kitson's quick sketches, this watercolour image seems like a snapshot moment, not a deeply worked piece of accuracy and proportions.
Once
women were given commission opportunities, the IWM employed Anna Airy
(1882-1964)
as 'one of the first official British women war artists.' (Harries
128) It was noticed that once men were called off to war, women were
gradually playing a more important role in the munitions industry.
During June of 1918, four works were commissioned by Airy
representing scenes within the munition factories. The four large
canvases were priced at £280 each and measured 72 by 84cm, An
Aircraft Assembly Shop, Hendon. 1918 (fig
2) was among these scenes. Although known to be a pastel artist and
etcher, this piece is an oil painting of an assembly factory shown
from a height. The scene below is clear; with lines of workbenches
stretching the entire room, different levels of factory staff, and
aircraft at various stages in their production. Unless equipped with
the knowledge of war aircraft and its appearance, the scene is not of
obvious war association. The three other commissioned works in this
series by Airy were The 'L' Press.
Forging the Jacket of an 18-inch Gun: Armstrong-Whitworth Works,
Openshaw, 1918 (fig
3), A Shell Forge at a National
Projectile Factory, Hackney Marshes, London, 1918 (fig
4) and Shop for Machining 15-inch
Shells: Singer Manufacturing Company, Clydebank, Glasgow, 1918 (fig
5).
These scenes were produced by Airy at a time considered crucial in the production of munitions, and the success of forces were dependent on heavy weapons. 'The success of Scottish heavy industry was built on low investment and cheap labour and Anna Airy gives some indication of this.' (IWM.org.uk) The factories and workshops show basic equipment and disorganised working areas, and Airy's approach to the images shows the dreary tones and atmosphere. The mark making appears rough and in some ways give a sense of movement. The rough appearance of the oil paint's application, seems to be a subtle indication of the war work and the roughness of conflict. The disorganised work shop was a common occurrence. The Singer factory workers brought forward complaints regarding safety concerns in 1911, 'the start of a bitter industrial dispute which began with [a] mass walkout and carried on with public meetings, rallies and much heady talk to collapse in acrimony three weeks later.' (Craig 5) The dispute involved twelve young female polishers whose job was to polish the Singer sewing machines. Three other polish employees were transferred to another department, whilst the remaining twelve were expected to cover the work of the full fifteen workers. To add insult to injury, the twelve remaining workers' wages were deducted by two shillings per pay packet, this made the women withdraw their labour; outraged at being expected to do more work for less pay. The workers came up with the slogan 'An injury to one is an injury to all.' More work for a smaller work force led way for rushed and incompetent labour, and the higher risk of injury. Although women were put in positions that kept them safe from conflict, safety and injury risks in disorganised work places were not as much of a priority.
Despite Airy's success at being the first female commissioned for war art, her efforts were not without their obstacles. She was considered 'a talented draughtsperson in the academic manner and one of England's most talented women artists. Nevertheless the Munitions sub-committee, possibly doubting the reliability of someone who was an artist and a woman.' (Harries 128) Gender started to become the central focus of how works of art could be judged and appreciated. If a work was created and the artist remained anonymous, would the art lose its significance? In the article 'Why Connoisseurship Matters', it was said that ''the study of the object, […] became less important than the study of its context. [… ] the very notion of authorship irrelevant, their thesis chiming with the growing trend amongst historians to turn away from the study of the individual.' (2012) Although something to consider in today's society, this thought is relatively new and something that requires time to develop. This idea did not apply to the appreciation of these female artists, though women did manage to break the boundaries of war art commissions, and have their work attract attention; both positive and negative. The 'position that society has institutionalized on women as unable to be anything but subordinate and unexpressive' (O'Donogue) is a debate that always remains.
Dame
Laura Knight (1877-1970) became the second female artist to be
commissioned for War representation; becoming one of only three
British women commissioned to document War overseas. During 1945,
Mary Kessell (1914-1977) was commissioned once the war was over by
the War
Artists Advisory Committee to go
overseas to Berlin. Kessell was part of a 'larger third group of
women asked to submit a few pieces of their work for the committee to
consider.' (Foster 59-60) As the fighting was over, this gave Kessell
the opportunity to show scenes of refugees' survival due to the
repercussions of conflict on society. She was said to display scenes
that were 'haunting' (Mead) and 'sympathetic but unsentimental
representations of sick people' (Foster 126). She spent six weeks in
Germany, from the 9th of August until the 20th of September 1945,
visiting major cities, but most importantly the Bergen-Belsen
concentration camp which was newly liberated four months prior. The
studies produced were in charcoal; with women and children as the
most commonly represented of all the refugees, and a diary of
Kessell's own experiences.
Kessell
produced seven drawings which she called Notes
from Belsen Camp. The
images and diary are currently in the IWM's collection. One work that
appears to be a figurative work, (fig 6) looks small enough in body
proportions to be a child. The figure seems to be lying face down,
possibly asleep. In her diary, Kessell wrote: 'Berlin Tuesday 10
September 1945 […] Filthy, lousy, abject bundles of humanity.
Utterly
apathetic – just bundles. […] home with nothing on their feet,
filthy clothes – unshaven – stinking – limbless bundles with
great eyes… Remember
for ever those things that war has made – I felt so ashamed
standing there in my uniform & clean shoes'. War has left these
people with nothing, and in a position of having to start their lives
over again. Despite having the liberated camps as a temporary home,
they have no belongings; and no means to provide food, clothing or
shelter for themselves. In Refugees:
Mother and Child, 1945,
(fig 7) Kessell uses her charcoal medium thickly to outline the
figures. The mother is standing, clutching a baby to her body,
possibly to share her body heat, whilst an older child sits down to
the right; arms looking as though wrapped around herself in a moment
of suffering. The nature of the charcoal gives the dirty, rough
appearance that Kessell mentioned in her diary; with the figures
looking solitary and gloomy. These works by Kessell are not obvious
war illustrations; without the social contexts of the pieces, they
appear simply as figurative depictions.
As
the second female artist to be commissioned for War representation,
Dame Laura Knight was considered to
have a 'high level of prestige and recognition as the first female
artist
since 1768 to become a full member of the Royal Academy (RA).'
(Palmer 13) Knight was the most well-known and acknowledged female
war artist, and despite her gender, her level of skill, determination
and status was more appreciated than many other female war artists.
Knight was commissioned as a 'war correspondent' for coverage of the
Nuremberg Trials in Germany 'at her own suggestion', (Harries 256)
this work was a challenge as she was traditionally more realist in
style. During her time overseas, Knight wrote a letter to the WAAC,
expressing the complexity of trying to create a work whilst the
feelings within the community were so intense. She said 'during the
trial, when the death of millions and utter devastation are the sole
topic of conversation wherever one goes'. (Palmer 17)
In
January 1946, Knight travelled to The
Nuremberg Trials (fig
10, 11 and 12) and continued to produce charcoal studies from an
unused broadcasting box overlooking the proceedings. There were many
challenges that arose during Knight's work, 'she battled with the
technical problems posed by strip-lighting, which cast a sickly
greenish hue over the proceedings, and she contrived, amidst constant
interruptions from press, photographers and the American Military
Police” (Harries 256) To exclude all emotional and moral aspects of
the trial, Knight chose to keep the window of the broadcasting box
closed and chose not to wear the translation earphones that were
provided. It was thought that Knight found it difficult to 'ignore
the misery of the Nurembergers' (Harries 257) outside of the trial.
The image is one of intense power, and full of emotion; it appears as
a straight forward trial scene, but is set against the backdrop of
destruction. The juxtaposition of the two scenes; court room realism
and the city in ruins, represents an obvious association with war
without having to be present on the actual war front. Knight felt it
important to have war's presence in the piece and as a war
commission, this reinforces the importance of destruction's intense
visual impact. War art has so many aspects that can be depicted, The
Nuremberg Trial is
a prime example of war's effect on the rest of society. The
background scene of wreckage shows conflict's aftermath and in
relation, the link to the home front and women's involvement. The
home front was thought to have 'found fuller artistic expression
within the nascent Imperial War Museum [and] the focus of British
government war art commissioning shifted from military effort to the
involvement of British society'. (27)
Women's
contributions to the war were documented by female artists, with
Laura Knight and Ethel Gabain achieving the lower status of being
commissioned for specific works. The majority of works that the WAAC
commissioned during the Second World War, were primarily Home Front
subjects, from both male and female artists. From these female
artists, Ethel Gabain, Evelyn Dunbar and Evelyn Gibbs produced works,
and during the years interlinking the two wars, all three developed
greatly as artists. Ethel Gabain (1883-1950) was 'appointed an
Official War Artist in 1940 [she] achieved critical and commercial
success […] when many women were largely restricted to the domestic
sphere and were considered dependants' (Brown 142) Women were thought
to be highly reliant on family stability and their husbands as the
breadwinners and providers. This was a specific idea during the war
when women's jobs were confined to domestic roles and to the home.
Female artists shunned these perspectives and felt they had more to
offer as war artists; documenting current events and participating
actively in men's roles of labour. Gradually it was recognised that
women were proving themselves able, and were required to take over
the work as men were called off to the war's front-line. 'In 1941 the
government announced that unmarried women aged between 20 and 30
would be called up for war work. A year later, 19-year-olds were also
conscripted.' (Thomson 54) Gabain was considered an absent minded
individual and would travel to places 'without a pass or her
obligatory sketching permit.' (54) The WAAC bought Gabain's
lithographs throughout the war and went to any lengths to assist her
when fulfilling a commission which required visiting Hendon, without
any evidence of a work permit. The WAAC remedied this, whilst the RAF
considered Gabain a 'frail lady rumoured to be in very poor health'
(54) and weren't assured she was in great health to fly. In April of
1940, the WAAC commissioned Gabain for eight lithographs, depicting
scenes of evacuation and Women's Voluntary Services (WVS) equally.
The idea that the WAAC wanted the public to interpret from Gabain's
work was 'that all was well' (Thomson 56) and that people, especially
children, were adapting well to evacuation and their new
surroundings. This positive spin on wartime lives were scenes people
wanted to see. Scenes of destruction and suffering, although reality,
were not the idealised vision or the sign of hope people were
searching for.
The Evacuation of
Children from Southend, Sunday 2nd June 1940 (fig 13) was among
the commissioned lithographs.
The scene shows figures arranged in a
queue, with children carrying bundles containing spare clothing, gas
masks, identity cards, ration books, days worth of food and the
labels they were required to wear. With more than a million children
travelling in this way; Southend was one of 120 evacuation areas. The
depictions of evacuations created by Gabain, helped people to cope
with the current situation whilst some also felt they were cover ups
of alternative circumstances; 'when 400 civilians perished during an
air raid at South Hallsville School, Canning Town, many of them were
mothers and children who were waiting to be evacuated.' (Thomson 57)
This image, although created as a sign of positivity and possibly a
brighter future, shows many different expressions. The young girl to
the very far left, appears worried and fidgets nervously with her
hands. She is standing slightly apart from the queue; possibly
apprehensive about her impending situation. The small child on the
very right of the composition looks toward the viewer with a smile
and a hand gesture of thumbs up; a sign of circumstances being good.
In fact, the only sign of positivity within the evacuation scene is
this small child; the rest of the crowd seems pre-occupied with what
is awaiting them, and the anticipation of following instructions for
departure. The scene is not one of evident sadness, but whether
positive or negative, the truth is in the eye of the interpretor.
Air raids were
another area of war that Gabain produced depictions of. An image of
Gabain working whilst outdoors was released by the press. (fig 14)
Here, Gabain is working on Raided Area Stepney, wearing
heels, stockings, a suit, a fur scarf and a hat. This image, like
Ruby Loftus Screwing a Breech-Ring, 1943 shows
a positive representation of a woman's femininity. Even amongst the
rubble and destructive consequences of war, Gabain's sense of self as
a female war artist is a positive reflection of the capability of
women. She is working outdoors dressed in a way that she would any
other day, showing that despite the 'male associated' work she is
producing, Gabain does not lose her sense of femininity. The
composition of the image, with well-dressed boys watching Gabain, was
a deliberate resource use to create an illusion of all being well,
with society 'unscathed by the latest blitz of bombs'. (Thomson 59)
The works and commissions that Gabain produced, all had an
intentional brief, in that they were to produce a sense of optimism.
Though it was known that this was untrue, people had lost their homes
and it was possible that family members and friends were severely
injured or had died. Although in this image, Gabain looks unfazed,
which was what the image was meant to show; 'most of the time she was
terrified at what she was about to witness and as the war continued
she became more imprisoned in each and every depiction she produced'.
(Thomson 61)
An
argument could be made for the reason Gabain sat for a portrait that
made her appear composed, and allowed herself to create works that
portrayed scenes of an untrue representation of positivity, despite
feeling anxious and uneasy on the inside. Keeping
society calm and at ease during such a crucial time during the war,
must have become an essential focus for people with means in the
media. Art's focus during this period was something people became
reliant upon and was another viewpoint outside of their own vision
and what was presented to them on the news. Art became a way of
showing people the silver lining of an otherwise devastating reality,
and the means of seeing the possibilities of a better future.
Although Gabain may have wanted to produce work that reflected the
truth, her position and limitations as a female commissioned war
artist would have restricted her from what she was asked to fulfil.
'Artistic ability and professional success for Evelyn Dunbar, Ethel
Gabain and Evelyn Gibbs has not secured them the critical acclaim
needed to assert their place among the 'great and the good' of the
art world.' (Brown 152) Although today Gabain is among several female
war artists appreciated for their artistic ability and professional
success, sadly, they were not in today's art world where women have
more freedom to express what they truly feel without the fear of
boundaries and lack of commission opportunities.
War
art's commissioned subjects changed from front-line focus to British
society, and with this, works within the IWM 'found fuller artistic
expression'. (Palmer 27) During World War Two's outbreak in
1939, Evelyn Dunbar (1906-1960) began to create works focused around
the recording of the home front, as her plans of opening an art
gallery were halted by the war. Dunbar's work as a mural painter
prior to the Second World War and after, did not gain her successful
recognition, however her war artist abilities made her strengths as
an artist recognised by the WAAC. Dunbar became one of two women
'specially employed' as a war artist over a prolonged period' (Foster
92) and the Women's Land Army war work has become especially
associated to her and her depictions.
A Land Girl and
the Bail Bull, 1945 (fig 15) is
among many of Dunbar's works on the Land Army. Dunbar
was said to work 'on a large scale […] with a botanist's eye for
minute detail', (92) however, compared to some of the other war works
discussed, this image is not as large in scale. This work was
completed in only four months, with Dunbar explaining in a letter to
the IWM how all 'the observation [for the piece] had to be done
before 5am and once we did an all night journey of about 100 miles to
the farm […] arriving at 4 o'clock in the morning'. (Clarke 130) It
was felt by Dunbar that the freshly painted work gave the exact
atmosphere of that morning, and she was pleased with the finished
product. This is a depiction of a Land Girl's outdoor work with a
dairy herd, with the milking shed in the distance. On first
reflection, the work does not seem relevant to the war in any way;
however, the role of these women as workers on the land, was more
prominent during the war years, whilst farmers were fighting on the
front-line. The young woman, although off-centre in the composition,
is still the focal point. She faces the field and herd with a look
and stance of determination. One hand holds a bucket, presumably for
milking, and in the other hand she clutches a chain; chains are made
from thick metal and thought of as strong, the toughness of the
material could be a subtle reference to the munitions used in war,
even by the men whose role she is performing. However, the chain's
intended use is more realistic, 'the girl has to catch and tether the
bull […] and hides the chain behind her, ready to snap on the ring
in his nose as soon as it is within her reach'. (Clarke 131) Although
the bull is preoccupied with grazing and seems to pose no threat, the
girl's bravery at facing the animal head on, seems to be another 'war
equivalent' (131) aspect of the work. This work is considered
Dunbar's 'greatest work from the war years' (Clarke 21) and was
appreciated by the WAAC for its composition and mood evoking
attribute. (fig 16) The scenes that Dunbar shows
in her work are not
staged or created to make the audience feel more positive, but rather
are everyday realities of people's lives, jobs, and are believable as
true representations of people's social situations.
During
the war, the rationing of food on the home front became essential and
'was introduced almost immediately at the start of the Second World
War.' (Tolson) This new routine took some adjusting and The
Queue at the Fish Shop 1942-45,
(fig 17) is an example of this. Due to the German effort cutting off
supplies to the British Isles during this time, food imports were not
possible. This meant that The Women's Land Army became responsible
for farmer's work and the available food was rationed equally to the
British public, including the Royal Family. Rationing was even placed
on clothing, with the encouragement to make or mend old clothing. The
size of the canvas of The Queue at the Fish Shop shows
the great length of the queue, highlighting the determination and
hopefulness of the individuals carrying baskets larger than
necessary. The shop's sign states 'Large supplies of fresh fish from
the coast daily' (Tolson) showing the stark difference in society's
change in daily order. Dunbar shows the queue order as it would be
expected; women and older men, with the only rushing atmosphere shown
by civilians joining the queue. Although there are plenty of people
in the fishmonger's queue, the scene still looks slightly isolated
for what would ordinarily be a busy shopping street. The only sign of
movement is the lady crossing the road to join the queue, and the
serviceman passing on his bicycle. The shop window next to the
fishmongers seems derelict, and the windows look dusty. This could be
a sign of how war leaves areas of absence in people's lives; whether
it be homes or family members. The people in the queue are all stood
in similar stances, with some heads bowed; the body language seems
almost defeated, and unknowing of when the situation will improve and
return to normal. This depiction by Dunbar was felt to be a
'well-observed study of everyday life with its patient row of
housewives'. (Clarke 129) Dunbar is thought to have put in characters
based on real life figures; the woman looking out of the image
towards the viewer is thought to be Dunbar herself, whilst the
concentrating serviceman cycling busily is thought to be Roger
Folley, her husband. The lady crossing the street to join the queue
is her sister Jessie, and a figure in the queue represents her
brother Ron. The idea that these figures represent Dunbar and her
family is due to them being identifiable in her work during her time
studying at Brockley School. Putting depictions of herself and family
in to her war work could be personal to their own observations and
experiences of life during the war years.
Due
to the outbreak of war, artists were encouraged to use their skills
to produce murals in factory canteens and create exhibitions in shops
rather than in galleries. The idea was to be representational of
'social realism, reflecting everyday life'. (Lucas 61) When Evelyn
Gibbs (1905-1991) became involved in art during the 1940s, she had
moved to Nottingham after the evacuation of the Goldsmiths' College.
Her policy and support for artists was to create art for the people,
and although Gibbs was successful as an artist, she was also
successful in her involvement with the Nottingham School of Art. The
Government's commissions of art during the war was considered
significant and Sir Kenneth Clarke 'put pressure on the Ministry of
Information to reinstate it's policy on recording war'. (Lucas 64)
Though it took twenty-three years, Clarke was successful in his goal
when the WAAC came together in 1939 to discuss suitable projects and
artists for commissions. With this came artist categories. Although
highly thought of, Dame Laura Knight was in category B due to
specific works that she had produced long term, whereas category C
involved artists commissioned for specific works short term,which
involved Gibbs and her commissions to document the work of the Blood
Transfusion Unit and the WVS. The categories arranged by the WAAC
reflect the amount of work produced by artists over a period of time,
rather than reflecting the artists' abilities and status. Thanks to
these 'proliferating
exhibiting organisations and artist groups, [women were given] some
opportunities to exhibit'. (Foster 60)
WVS Clothing
Exchange, 1943 (fig 18)
is an image showing the wartime
duties of the Women's Voluntary Service during the aftermath of the
air raids. Clothing was donated, collected and made available for
people who had become victims to their homes being bombed. The
working volunteers are seen in their green coats, assisting and
ensuring that people have what they need. Towards the back of the
composition, a helper is taking care of a child whose mother seems
preoccupied with another helper and child. The whole atmosphere of
the piece is one of sorrow and is disheartening. These people have
lost everything, especially clothing which is something generally
taken for granted. The children who can be unaware of situations,
seem well behaved and in tune with the seriousness of looking for
appropriate clothing. The green coats of the volunteers are an
indication to the audience that this is a work related to the war.
Though many of the works discussed do not have the immediate war
connection when you first see them, they are depictions of war's
repercussions on people not on the front-line.
Canteen Counter,
1942 (fig 19) is
a depiction of a counter in a British restaurant, which also does not
seem a likely war time work. The scene does not seem like the busy
atmosphere expected from a restaurant; the two cake stands appear
empty, which could be due to food rationing. This work was produced
the same year as Dunbar's The Queue at the Fish Shop
1942-45 and has the same feeling of isolation and quietness. The
flowers seem to be drooping and are lacking in life; leaning towards
the waitress who seems emotionless, and redundant to fulfil her
tasks. The cup on the counter looks empty, as if the restaurant is so
quiet that there is no rush to clear away the small amount of dishes.
Unlike
Margaret Abbess who created unofficial records, Flora Lion
(1878-1958) was commissioned to paint records of factory scenes in
Bradford and Leeds. Building Flying Boats, 1918
(fig 20) shows the inside of an aircraft factory's assembly shed.
During World War One, flying boats were used primarily for spotting
German U-boats; they were created by traditional carpentry skills
despite requiring the technology of precision during flight.
The
image represents men producing individual machine parts by hand,
working as part of a small team to ensure the technical skills
required. This observation of men's roles is vastly different from
the other women's records of war discussed. In comparison to Anna
Airy's work An Aircraft Assembly Shop,
Hendon. 1918 (fig
2) which shows both sexes integrated in one work place. Building
Flying Boats shows
how much tidier the work place is kept, and it is evident what work
is taking place. The men seem engrossed and devoted to the tasks at
hand, with the seriousness of conflict always prominent. The men are
well dressed; in shirts and ties, but the appearance takes on a sense
of labour's influence; with aprons on, and sleeves rolled up. The
room itself has jackets and personal belongings hung up, to avoid
concerns of health and safety. The aircraft that is taking up a third
of the works composition, is the biggest sign of this work as a war
work. The preparation for war in the form of aircraft and munitions,
is a significantly documented aspect by women artists; but once the
artillery is completed, it becomes an association with the
destructive characteristics of war.
A
work that solely shows female workers is Women's
Canteen at Phoenix Works, Bradford 1918
in the setting of a canteen. (fig 21) The women are dressed in dull
and unflattering work attire yet it is practical; with chunky, hard
wearing boots. Of all the features in this work 'firstly
you see the clothing, which is unusual for the time but quite common
in the factories' (Mead). Many
women can be seen wearing blue flat caps with their hair tucked
under. The boots the women are wearing seem tough and in some ways
masculine, they are the type of footwear you would expect to see
people wearing in all areas of war. There are many groups of women
within the one composition. To the left, women sit appearing to be
drained and are slouching in body language, almost looking defeated
by their tiredness. The women to the right in the queue look slightly
impatient in their tiredness. The woman third from the right with the
empty mug seems so lacking in energy, that her arm dangles, barely
able to hold up the cup. The two central women who dominate the
composition and the viewer's gaze; are the only sign of confidence
and strength, 'the
pose of the two women shows that they are quite confident in their
workplace. There's a feeling of liberation about it.' (Mead) Like
Ruby
Loftus and
the press photograph of Ethel Gabain, these women show a positive
representation of women's femininity, and the ability to step up and
exceed the expectations, boundaries and opportunities placed on them.
