Judy Chicago: A Reckoning includes works from the 1960s to the 1990s, showing Chicago’s growth and experimentation, with ever-present thread of examining gender politics. Though she is best known for her massive multi-media The Dinner Party (1974–79) installation, which features dinner places set for history’s most important women, with individual ceramic plates and textile placemats, Chicago’s body of work includes a wide range of media. Her Car Hoods (1964-2011) series and bright abstractions may surprise visitors who expect work reminiscent of The Dinner Party.
Though there is plenty of work like this, too, such as the Birth Project series (1980-85), which celebrates the power and process of birth-giving and the creative capacities of women. There are also test plates and sketches from The Dinner Party, which show the creative process behind this iconic work.
