Project Statement

by J. Lyons

In the 1970s several of my books dealt with feminist issues. For many women, an artist’s book then seemed the perfect container for a passing observation or a site where a personal story could be translated into a public narrative. This book is a one-liner, a somewhat tongue-in-cheek contribution to the serious and theoretical feminist practice prevalent at that time. Juliet McGrath’s poem, “Wonder Woman,” is a role-reversal fantasy about a woman approaching male archetypes. Since Wonder Woman had been one of the few female heroes in the pop culture of my girlhood, I asked McGraw if we could collaborate on a book. The poem, printed on vellum, is interspersed with images of a housewife at an ironing board morphing into Wonder Woman. The cover, printed in the appropriate colors, is an image of an American flag bra. The photographs of the housewife, myself attired in timely paisley shift, are by David Heath.

Wonder Woman

Joan Lyons

Agents

Joan Lyons

type: initiating

role:
artist
printer
publisher

dates:
birth: 1937-03-06

Juliet McGrath

type: other

role:
author

Publication Information

dates:
publication: 1974-00-00

Aesthetic Profile

movement:
feminism (AAT)
pop (AAT)

subject:
Feminine icons

themes: Female pop icons [T. Shaw]

content form:
process art

publication tradition:
conceptual (local)

inspiration: Female pop icons [T. Shaw]

related works: [other of the artists' works (see The Gynecologist, 25 Years Ago, Bride Book from Red to Green)]

community: press Visual Studies Workshop Press [T. Shaw]