--------------------QUESTIONS FOR JUDITH BERNSTEIN

QUESTIONS FOR JUDITH BERNSTEIN: LINDA MARY MONTANO

. Why are older women artists getting so much attention now?  What is the misogony or trick factor in older women getting recognition now? A distraction? Guilt?  Carolee in an interview said..." older women are not as threatening as younger women.

2. Your mother was a book-keeper, your father a painter who taught you painting. He painted with friends in the basement of your house. Can be specific and say what they taught you? 

3. Where did you get your courage to embrace the penis as a super image and metaphor of male aggression? It takes courage to radically rile up the men.

4.Anonymity in art occurs when artists sculpt statues on churches and temples.  How did you feel about anonymity versus the public stance of painter, known to the art world and colleagues. Is it comforting not to be  known?

5. Is it ever possible to feel  self-censored as an artist or are we living in the walls of our own private universities where we are the president of the institution of us?  An institute of the self that grants us permission to be/ to do/to say/to express without boundaries. Is there a topic or image that you will not paint? Not show? Not tackle? DO you have a private audience that will never be shown the most radical work that you have done?

6. Have you ever wanted to perform nude with a penis? How would you feel dopplegangering a man?

7. Do you want to belong in the feminist world? Activist world? or just  in your own world?

8. Do you ever paint men as objects of desire?

9. Who in your childhood mentored for you a dedication to strong anti-war positions and beliefs?

10. Your career has incredible dedication to service to causes: For example the cause of assisting other women artists; the cause of protesting the dearth of shows for women as an activist GUERILLA GIRL; the cause of founding a museum for women only, AIR; the cause of participating in the ART WORKERS COALITION and the FIGHT CENSORSHIP GROUP.  Your motivation to justice is biblical!! In looking back, can you feel  success and changes coming from your service to these mighty causes?  Better funding for women's shows? More respect shown to women artists? More inclusion of women in major museums and galleries? 

11. I liked reading your comments about the two feminist camps:  the vagina feminists and the penis feminists. This is hilarious.

12, What is the function of shock and awe in your work?  Does your  work shock you?  Awe you?  Raise your endorphens? What does your work "make" you feel which you might not feel outside the work?

13.in 1974, the Museum of the Philadelphia Civic Center censored you out of a women's  show because the curator said, "this offends me on behalf of the children of this city." Have you or would you like to explain your work to children? 

14.Was Louise Bourgeoise your most memorable art/life influence?  Did you visit her during her salons? Can you describe a visit to her salon? It must have been amazing.

15. Do you have a secret/hidden desire to really be a (fill in the blank?)  WHAT?  That is, if you were not an artist, what would you like to do/be?

LETTER TO MARCIA TUCKER,

Dear Marcia,

I am thrilled being here and I honor you. I celebrate your ability to take risks, your generosity of spirit, your open ness to performance and the art of difference, your intuition that eventhough i was a relatively young artist at that time, you had the courage to offer me hospitality and a welcoming venue for many years.  Marcia Tucker, you are amazing. Love Linda.