Judy Chicago

Big Blue Pink

Contained by a grid, the colors of Big Blue Pink gradually fade to white within each section. What appears at first to be a simple design of misty colors is, in fact, a thoughtful feminist statement. Chicago’s male contemporaries, such as Donald Judd, produced precise paintings and rigid sculptures that were perceived as masculine because of their hard, geometric lines.

The composition of Big Blue Pink recognizes these macho conventions, which are in turn challenged by the work’s soft gradient of gentle colors. Chicago intentionally chose the gendered colors of blue and pink to reinforce her message of feminine agency.

Adding another layer of complexity, she created this work with an industrial sprayer used to paint cars. Automobile manufacturing, like painting, has traditionally been in the purview of men. With Big Blue Pink, Chicago declares that she belongs, and indeed excels, in a male dominated field.