When Art Schools Closed Doors, British Women Built Their Own Galleries

A crocheted vase and a handful of postcards—Marlene Smith’s 1987 sculpture quietly spotlights the overlooked sisterhood shaping British art. Tate Britain’s exhibition "Women in Revolt!" unearths the creative surge of women artists in the UK during the 1970s and 1980s, a time when art schools and museums often left them out in the cold. Instead of waiting for invitations, these artists formed collectives, published their own magazines, and turned kitchens and community centers into makeshift galleries. Their art tackled everything from childcare and domestic labor to government cuts and nuclear disarmament, often using everyday materials and personal artifacts. As the political climate shifted, so did their focus—addressing issues like equal pay, police brutality, and LGBTQ+ rights, all while challenging the art world’s narrow lens. Today, works once hidden in basements finally see the light, revealing a history that museums themselves helped to obscure. Sometimes, the most radical art begins where the official story ends. #BritishArt #FeministArt #WomenInRevolt #Culture