Top 23 Greatest Female Artists Who Defined the Contemporary Era

[@markhubbard2534]

Many women I immediately thought of I don't think made the list...Helen Frankenthaler, Mickalene Thomas, Georgia O’Keeffe, Amy Sherald⁠, Barbara Kruger, Cecily Brown, Emily Mae Smith, Issy Wood, Kara Walker, Annie Leibovitz, Sally Mann, Elizabeth Peyton.

[@dnlgrmn7169]

They have to make top 50……

[@contemporaryartissue]

Hi there Mark, thank you for tuning in and for your excellent anthology of major absentees. They should indeed, I believe they are as DNL GRMN points out in the top 50, but could easily have ranked in the top 25 as well. I would also like to add Ann Veronica Janssens, Berlinde De Bruyckere, Otobong Nkanga, Lynette Yiadom-Boakye or Laure Prouvost

[@jeancherounyart]

Alma Thomas

[@soda4807]

And me😅

[@katwernery6505]

Watched this with my 13 year old autistic son who loves art and it has inspired him to want to learn more about contemporary female artists

[@contemporaryartissue]

Dear Kat, that's absolutely terrific. Thank you for tuning in and for sharing this wonderful story

[@sivanihowe]

Great job on getting this compiled. So lovely to see a variety of Women being celebrated. Now... would be amazing to see a collation of POC through the ages to contemporary... what do you say? There are amazing people doing amazing work... and your platform really gives a great nod. Thanks!

[@contemporaryartissue]

That's a great suggestion, we are looking to complete a list of POC artists for sure! Thank you for the kind words and for tuning in!

[@mariagunnarsQ17]

I love that you have included all different types of artists here, not just painters, refreshing. Great video, thank you!

[@contemporaryartissue]

Hi Maria, thank you for your most kind comment and for tuning. Wishing you a terrific day!

[@mariagunnarsQ17]

@@contemporaryartissue You are welcome, you too, stay safe.

[@patricshaw]

I would add Cecilly Brown, Georgia O'Keeffe, Kara Walker, Dana Schutz and Lee Krasner to that list

[@contemporaryartissue]

Hi there, thank you for tuning in. Great suggestions, agreed 100%. Thank you for sharing here

[@lindamon5101]

This is simply a minute example of millions of incredible female artists.

[@contemporaryartissue]

Many great artist missing still indeed. A 20 minute video was already a stretch, but maybe a part is coming up next year. Thank you for watching!

[@lindamon5101]

@@contemporaryartissue a series

[@lindamon5101]

@@contemporaryartissue a weekly series , art today, reused,recycled,renewed. Sustainable?

[@mamamia6925]

only in your dreams!

[@nunsopink]

Judy Chicago, Janine Antoni, Kara Walker, Anicka Yi, Hannah Wilke, Sarah Lucas, Barbara Kruger, Wangechi Mutu, Patricia Piccinini, Mary Sibande, Ebony G. Patterson, Lorraine O Grady, Marie Watt, Qualeasha Wood…the list goes on, but there should be a whole video on BIPOC Women

[@contemporaryartissue]

What a terrific recital! There should!

[@sky44david]

Alice Neal is becoming honored for her expressive figurative/narrative art.

[@contemporaryartissue]

Yes, terrific artist! Worthy of a spot here for sure!

[@nunsopink]

Faith Ringgold, Judith Scott, Joyce J. Scott, Natalie Ball, Kyungah Ham, Vanessa German, Kayla Mahaffrey, Njdeka Akunyili Crosby, Mickalene Thomas, Bharti Kher, Suchitra Mattai, Ghada Amer, Joana Vasconcelos, Marilyn Levine, Nancy Davidson, Petah Coyne, Claire Morgan, Alison Elizabeth Taylor

[@blancabuck692]

I love Leonora Carrington, Georgia O´Keffee, Sonia Delauney. Love your programs a Lot! Thanks for sharing

[@amirann123]

I would add Judy Chicago for sure!!!!

[@contemporaryartissue]

Yes! Great shout, thanks for sharing!

[@404tita]

Great list. I would add Ligya Clark and Rosana Paulino they both are true legends whose works are so much important to contemporary art History. Paulino is still alive fortunetely

[@contemporaryartissue]

Hi there, terrific suggestions, agreed 100%. Thank you for sharing here, and thanks for tuning in!

[@remcovisser3732]

Good list👍🏼... i missed Frida Kahlo and Eva Hess...🤙🏼

[@contemporaryartissue]

Thank you very much for tuning in. I agree, great suggestions of great artists. Thank you for sharing here

[@kathyjuneart]

Good list, I would add Judy Chicago. Diane Arbus. Honestly, can we get a Top 100? 💓 There are so many and they deserve recognition!

[@contemporaryartissue]

Exactly! The KZbin channel of Mary Lynn Buchanan (most follow/subscribe!) has in fact published a video with 100 (!) female artists. Here is the link to the video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/eYObgpWqYtSAg68

[@alandent2746]

Surprised not to see Barbera Hepworth or Elisabeth Frink in that list. Otherwise apart from adjusting the order to taste (I have a great fascination with Kusama Yayoi) the list was really good. In the end it is hard to rank Artists in terms of their work, and their influence is an intangible that is hard to pin down. It was a pleasure to watch

[@contemporaryartissue]

Two great suggestions, thank you for sharing here, and thank you for the kind words. The pleasure is ours!

[@elainealibrandi6364]

Janet Sobel, who created the drip technique before Jackson Pollack; Helen Frankenthaler, an American abstract expressionist; Remedios Varo, the amazing surrealist; and the always innovative Cornelia Parker.

[@contemporaryartissue]

What a terrific recital of great artists. Thank you for tuning in and for the brief anthology

[@flowwwwiththego]

Great video as always! I love your videos and have learned so much! I would nominate Eva Hesse (as many have mentioned), Adrian Piper and Ellen Gallagher. Look forward to more!

[@contemporaryartissue]

I completely agree, especially Eva Hess-she's one of my personal favorites to be honest.

[@barbarajones9385]

​@@contemporaryartissue Hesse.

[@josemariofranco1028]

Great video. I would add Paula Rego.

[@contemporaryartissue]

I agree 100%! Thank you for sharing here

[@bethduffus4598]

Enjoyed this video. Shout out for Paula Rego, Frida Khalo and Georgia O'Keeffe.

[@contemporaryartissue]

Shout out indeed! Thank you so much for tuning in

[@mamamia6925]

Great art speaks for itself, some artist on this list seem to need a lot of explanations.

[@LG-kj5qq]

Pat Steir , Carmen Herrera , Mary Weatherford, Rachel Whiteread , Marina Adams , Joan Mitchell , Helen Frankenthaler , Katerina Grosse, Etel Adnan m, Lisa Dawn Gold, Taryn Simon, Roni Horn, Barbara Kruger , Alice Neel, Rita Ackerman, Phyllida Barlow, Nicole Eisenman, Mary Heilmann, Ursula Von Rydingsvard , Susan Rothenberg, Bharti Kher, Annie Leibovitz, Eva Hesse , Janine Antoni , Diane Arbus, Ruth Asawa , Katherine Bernhardt, Katherine Bradford , Carol Bove, Niki De Saint Phalle , Marilyn Minter, Cecily Brown, Lee Krasner , Mickalene Thomas, Kara Walker, Dana Schutz.......Hilma Af Klint............and on and on............!*&*%%$#$%#%#^%^&*()!!!!!!

[@danielellingson9346]

Nancy Ellingson is an 87 year old retired artist, art professor, high school teacher, poet, art mentor, and utter master of acrylic and ink landscapes; capturing her Wisconsin homeland with works that have made it seem like a tourist destination. She should have been among the top 3 artists on this list based upon the originality & caliber of her work alone, not to mention her lifelong contribution as a teacher and also always eager student of the arts in many disciplines. She went with a small group of teachers and shared her love of art and music with children in the Soviet Union during the Cold War, as part of the sister cities relationships that were emerging at the time and also taught in Poland. La Crosse, WI formed that relationship with Dubna, Russia, due to the courage of her and the many other teachers who were doing what little they could to bring beauty in a world terrified of nuclear annihilation. She has a landscape painting in the major’s mansion in Dubna, Russia that she brought as a gift. I have a good print of the painting and it is as magical and vibrant as Monet’s best landscapes, yet realistic like a photograph. I have studied art for many years and have yet to see any artist have such a unique and original style, while also being incredibly versatile with everything from mediums to subject matter to style and technique, yet get no recognition. 2nd to none from incredible ink & acrylic landscapes, to etchings, portraiture, watercolors, collages, and abstract expressionism unlike any other. So many masterpieces yet she was a mother, sister, and grandma first. I would put her top 30 works against any painter in the past 300 years. It can’t be understated! Nancy Ellingson should be at the top of this list!!! Her collection of works that is photographed, and hanging across the country and beyond needs to be seen. However It is Not because she should be famous, but got a raw deal, or that her work wouldn’t be accepted anywhere and embraced, but as most of the greats she was most concerned with the craft itself, more so than the allure of potential fame. It is not because I feel it unjust that her body of work spanning 50 years hasn’t received sufficient recognition, that bothers me, it is that what she brought to the world of art as far as just pure genius painting was exactly that. Her work is so awe inspiring it needs to be seen bc it will motivate so many young artists just as it has me and many before me. Her abstract nature inspired compositions, and her surreal tones and textures blended with visually soothing impressionist aspects, that again I’ll say have photo realism mixed with Monet. As original and unique a style as any of the handful of true greats each generation. Nevertheless, in the art world at large, relatively unknown and unrecognized yet as a contemporary artist let alone a top 3. My top 5 all time favorite painters: Wassily Kandinsky, Jack Whitten, Jackson Pollack, Vincent Van Gogh, and Nancy Ellingson!

[@contemporaryartissue]

Hi Daniel, terrific to read how enthusiastic and passionate you are about Nancy Ellingson - who is for me personally and for the art world unknown. An unsung hero? In any case, thank you for introducing her so passionately here and feel free to comment a link where I can find some of her works online, as you have strongly sparked my curiosity. Thank you for tuning in!

[@VikkehBee]

Thank you, I loved this !

[@contemporaryartissue]

Thank you so much for your kind words. Much appreciated!

[@ArtDocuments]

Is it possible that Kara Walker and Wangechi Mutu are not on this list? Again, the list is probably based on sales records, etc... That explains why Marina is way lower on this list than she deserves, and Cindy is on the top... Anyway, the video is still very informative and well done. Keep up the good work.

[@georgemohr7532]

Kara Walker what a great suggestion. Easily in the top 25 and maybe even the top 5.

[@contemporaryartissue]

Yes, it is. The ranking has indeed been created by the algorithm. For me personally Kusama or Bourgeois should be at the top of the list. First we had only 17 artists, before adding 6 more because they are simply too good to ignore. But the same is true for Kara Walker, Wangechi Mutu, and in my opinion also Berlinde De Bruyckere, or Ann Veronica Janssens. We are going to need a bigger list! Thank you once again for tuning and for sharing your thoughts. Most appreciated!

[@madalenadeairesmateus5636]

Pipilotti Rist is great as well!!

[@contemporaryartissue]

Yes, thanks for adding her here!

[@artanalyst]

I also had Kusama Yayoi's works ♡

[@contemporaryartissue]

Such a gem of an artist!

[@MrIrons-og3rg]

Thank you for sharing

[@contemporaryartissue]

The pleasure is all mine!

[@Kines332]

An important critical oeuvre of the oeuvres of many artists. Despite many diverse elements I think it is the oeuvre of their oeuvres that is really important. Only a brief example of their oeuvre can be shown here basically just an hors d"oeuvre.

[@contemporaryartissue]

Hahaha, we tend to overuse this word for sure! In any case, thank you for tuning in

[@syayidinadiding622]

So great Art Work So great Artist And congratulation ❤️🇮🇩🇮🇩🇮🇩

[@adriancostea2357]

EXCEPTIONNEL !

[@contemporaryartissue]

Thank you very much for tuning in!

[@jennyhughes4474]

Interesting list, thank you. For me some of these are wonderful artists whereas others are very dull - I'm old!

[@contemporaryartissue]

Thank you Jenny for tuning in, much appreciated. Old is the new young! Thanks for sharing in the comments.

[@christopherc3951]

No mention of Hannah Holliday Stewart, a ground-breaking abstract artist and sculptor who bumped Henry Moore out of a prime spot in Houston Texas with her sculpture Atropos Key. A good book on her work "I Wanted to See the Wind"

[@contemporaryartissue]

Very interesting, terrific suggestion. A brand new artist to discover for me personally. Thank you!

[@lachicagitana2676]

Number 24 Louise nevelson number 25 Helen frankenthaler

[@contemporaryartissue]

Great shout! Great artists for sure!

[@kimcarsons7036]

Ann Hamilton Joan Mitchell Sophie Calle & Eva Hesse should have made the top 25!)

[@contemporaryartissue]

I agree! Thanks for sharing here and thank you for tuning in

[@yvonneackermandiaz9469]

Gracias candida Hofer, never seen, now yes, thanks to you

[@contemporaryartissue]

The pleasure is all mine! Candida Hofer is absolutely terrific, wonderful artist

[@MakhdoomSadiqKhan]

Very interesting 👍❤️🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆

[@cooperwesley1536]

Odd that Annie Leibovitz isn't on the list.

[@cedcornell1896]

Imagine there's no Yoko .... It's easy if you try ....

[@contemporaryartissue]

Great comment, but I am not the only one...

[@adrianazunino7131]

Muy interesante!! Muchas gracias!

[@brendadrew834]

Bravo! There could be more added here including myself! lol Just kdding, a former retired NYC fashion illustrator/floral designer and now lyrical abstractionist /impressionist painter. Studied at Parsons School of Design, etc. and have been a member of the Provincetown Art Association. Read an article in the New York Times Arts Section several years ago that male painters also get paid more than women painters. Too bad we genderize painters! Why can't we have both genders exhibited together in galleries/museums? The billion dollar question! The "battle of the sexes" lives on! My favorites are Georgie O'Keefe, Helen Frankenthaler Mary Abbott and Judith Godwin. Many have passed on or are in their 90s. Kudos to today's "women" artists who bravely face the ongoing misogyny and gender bias not only in the art world , but in the music world as well. Not the world of rock bands, country music, but in the world of classical music, conductors/composers. I'm also a pianist/composer of classical /folk music and have composed an American light folk opera that was performed publicly with a write up in the Boston Globe. I joined an International Women's Composer organization years ago, but we never hear all the hundreds of composers listed there! We only hear from some of the "women" composers in Europe who were related to famous male composers like Fanny Mendlesohn and Clara Schuman for the most part! Keep up the good fight for gender equality in the arts!

[@contemporaryartissue]

Hi Brenda, thank you for tuning in and for saying hi in the comments. Sounds like you are a very creative person, something I admire strongly! We will certainly keep fighting for gender equality in the arts, and things are shifting for the better for sure! All my best, JD

[@joshuacheek1667]

Thrilled to see Riley represented. Surprised to see Yoko, but the Fluxus/Cage connection qualifies. Did Louise Nevelson fall outside the requisites? Also Krasner and Mitchell are missed... but those are MY artistic biases. Well done!

[@contemporaryartissue]

Dear Joshua, thank you for tuning in and for reaching out in the comments. Nevelson, Krasner, Mitchell - and some other illustrious names - sadly did not make the cut. Some of my artistic biases did not make it as well, for instance Berlinde De Bruyckere or Ann Veronica Janssens. Have a great day! All my best, Julien

[@lisavanquickelberghe909]

Paula Rego, Vivian Maier, Adrian Piper, Barbara Kruger

[@contemporaryartissue]

What a recital! Thanks for sharing here

[@julieshrive3198]

Louise Nevelson ,Rachel Whitehead , Cornelia Parker , Paula Rego Rebecca Horn ,Eva Hesse Cathy De Monchaux

[@contemporaryartissue]

Hi Julie, excellent recital of truly terrific artists! Thank you for tuning in!

[@mattpipes5106]

I think Hung Liu, who recently passed, would be on the top of the list of great contemporary artists regardless of gender

[@contemporaryartissue]

A great artist indeed!

[@bishopc8465]

Good list. Cindy Sherman in the top spot is wack as hell though, Agnes Martin is a "Greater" artist then her in my opinion. Louise Bourgeois is the top by far.

[@contemporaryartissue]

Hi there, thank you for watching. I agree with both statements. We used an algorithm as usual to create these rankings. However, according to my humble opinion Bourgeois or Kusama should take the number one spot without any doubt

[@Chickensavelonly]

Gillian Wearing is another great female artist that people should check out !

[@contemporaryartissue]

Yes! Yes! I absolutely agree, thank you for sharing here.

[@riggers1977]

Artemisia Gentileschi is in my top 10 favourite artists of all time (for me, she’s second only to Caravaggio) so I think if the feminist who wrote the original 1970’s article had actually done her research or knew anything about art history she’d realise that there’s always been many great female artists, you just need to scratch the surface for yourself (as you do with male artists too) instead of being spoon fed who is important by the establishment. Suzanne Valadon, Élisabeth Vigée Le Brun, Mary Cassatt, Judith Leyster etc etc… You’d think a woman interested in ‘strong, intelligent female innovators’ would know these names🤷‍♂️ Great video btw👍

[@contemporaryartissue]

Hi Riggers, thank you for tuning in. Linda Nochlin sure was aware of Gentileschi. But it takes more than one swallow to make a summer. Make no mistake, Nochlin actually knows anything about art history

[@riggers1977]

@@contemporaryartissue no honestly, thanks for making the video - it was extremely interesting, enjoyable & really well structured! 👏

[@contemporaryartissue]

@@riggers1977 Thank you so much for your most kind words. Much appreciated, the pleasure is all mine!

[@riggers1977]

@@contemporaryartissue 🙏

[@nynytjadesen2337]

Hi Riggers! Nochlin's article had quite a provocative title, but it was by no means supposed to mean that there were no women artists, or to belittle their work. It is not her personal view of "great" that is a matter here, but what the art historical canon at the time designated as "Great Artist" - Michelangelo, da Vinci, Dürer, Rembrandt, Cezanne, Monet... they are all men. When Nochlin wrote her article, students studying art history hardly found any women artists in their course books, museums and galleries hardly displayed any women artists and those that were shown were put into second place behind their male peers. That is what she meant with "no great women artists"

[@pushserver9689]

Excellent 😉

[@contemporaryartissue]

Thank you for tuning in!

[@danbowman9294]

I would nominate Leonora Carrington, Leonor Fini, and Cameron.

[@contemporaryartissue]

Great suggestions, thank you for sharing!

[@carlcontrera1699]

Notabley absent: Susan Rothenberg, , Magdalena Abakanowicz, Helen Frankenthaler, Jennifer Bartlett, Sue Coe, Pat Steir, Judt Pfaff, Nancy Spero and Judy Rifka

[@contemporaryartissue]

Great recital, thank you for sharing!

[@georgemohr7532]

Very well done. Not sure of why Cindy Sherman has the top spot. I would have given it to Yayoi Kusama or Louise Bourgeois. This must have been a difficult ranking to do especially when you give the top five.

[@contemporaryartissue]

Hi George, how have you been? Thank you very much for tuning in. Cindy Sherman won the battle in the Artfacts ranking for this one. I was also expecting Louise Bourgeois or Yayoi Kusama to take the gold medal. However, they are all equally deserving and iconic. Maybe Berlinde De Bruyckere or Ann Veronica Janssens deserved a spot in this list too, but I guess it's because of Belgian bias... In any case, thanks for watching

[@LG-kj5qq]

Agnes Martin.......Lynda Benglis....Tara Donovan, Beatriz Milhazes, Louise Nevelson, Jacquline Humphries..................

[@sonnenschein6171]

Verry interesting

[@contemporaryartissue]

Thank you for tuning in!

[@alessandradeangelis4324]

Barbara Hepwort, Rachel Whiteread, Rebecca Horn...

[@contemporaryartissue]

Great recital, thank you for sharing!

[@pennywest906]

You missed Barbara Rae the celebrated Scottish Artist who is a member of the British Royal Academy who does brilliant colourful art inspired by landscapes. Paula Rego, the Portugese/British artist who did very moving paintings of women. Georgia O'Keefe and her amazing close up flower paintings. Penny West

[@emmapatterson8100]

Love uplifting female artists and centering their roles within conteporary modes of artmaking. I do take a bit of issue with the overall framing of these artists as “Great” within Nochlin’s definition of the word. Nochlin calls attention to the fact that male artists have been elevated to a quasi-godhood within art historical and popular narritives (think of Wincklemann’s framing of Raphael and Donatello as literally Divine). All of these artists are, of course, groundbreaking and absolutely central figures within art history, however until someone’s middle school math teacher says “i’m no Helen Frankenthaler” before drawing a diagram on the board, i think Nochlin’s observations are, unfortunately, still rather apt. Rather than elevating female artists to the status of divinity, however, I think more exciting and promising avenues are in understanding artists as concretely human and approachable, with that human experience being central to readings of their work (Frida, Marina, Wangechi, i love you). Anyways, such a fun video!!

[@contemporaryartissue]

Dear Emma, thank you for tuning in and for your very interesting take on the subject. I agree on the use of the term "Great" in the context of Linda Nochlin. As Nochlin argued, "Greatness" or "being a Master/Genius" was bound to the male sex. However, today I feel this notion has shifted strongly. That's why we intentionally used this term for this article and video. Great point, thanks for sharing here!

[@deerush1388]

OMG. YES, FRIDA, FRANKENTHALER, MUTU AND ABOVE MENTIONED HESS, HADID, WALKER, O'KEEFE. HARD TO PIN I MUST SAY TOP 20. IMPOSSIBILITY.

[@silke5057]

Missing many mentioned already, and also Hannah Wilke! Thanks for Valie Export and Rosemarie Trockel. What about Meret Oppenheim?

[@silke5057]

Dorothea Tanning?

[@contemporaryartissue]

More great artists indeed, thank you for sharing them here!

[@elainefell7943]

I didn't realise you were ranking them I thought it was just a list. Thoroughly enjoyed hearing about these artists. The 'elevator' music in the background was odd. Is it possible to turn it off? Kind regards.

[@robcoghan5204]

Agnes Martin , yes!

[@contemporaryartissue]

Such an icon!

[@consideredwhisper]

Rachel Whiteread and Cornelia Parker are worthy of a place. I haven’t heard of several on your list so will check them out, but Louise Bourgeois surely outranks anyone!

[@contemporaryartissue]

Terrific suggestions, thank you for sharing! And I must agree, Louise Bourgeois was my personal number one, followed by Kusama and Abramovic respectively.

[@hilohahoma1547]

Finally.......it's not just about men you know despite the colonial paradigm we live in.

[@contemporaryartissue]

Exactly, thank you for tuning in!

[@dhirachakraborty9696]

I would definitely add Sarah Sze, Chiharu Shiota and Phyllida Barlow. This is quite a condensed list

[@contemporaryartissue]

Terrific suggestions. I agree the list could and maybe should be more extensive. However a 20 minute video and a 6000 words article were already a stretch for reader/viewer retention. Maybe a part 2?

[@biondna7984]

How do you leave out Judy Chicago?

[@contemporaryartissue]

Not about leaving out, but she was not in the top results of our survey. Thank you for tuning in!

[@jdones5475]

Great video! I was expecting Alice need to be here somewhere. Thanks !

[@contemporaryartissue]

Agreed! A major absentee for sure, thank you for sharing and for tuning in.

[@jonathanbrughmans1005]

Great list but I think you should add Maria Martins, great Brazilian sculptures.

[@JoeB_BSc]

Bridget Riley is amazingly brilliant so in my humble opinion could be number one or around there

[@ladygreenlife]

I'd also nominate Iran Darroudi!

[@claudiavargas8228]

I can't believe MARISOL was not included. She has been one of the most influential artists, for instance Warhol as well as many other famous male artists, praise her influence. Marisol is one of the most studied artists in academia.

[@contemporaryartissue]

Thank you for a great suggestion! Have a great day

[@felipecontreras8787]

Louise Nevelson, Georgia O’Keeffe, Barbara Kruger, for starters

[@contemporaryartissue]

Great anthology-although O'keeffe is in between Modern and Contemporary Art I would say.

[@gailevans7633]

There are more I far prefer...mentioned several times in comments. It seems today's trends are shock value.....anything to be different. I am not impressed with shock, but apparently, the art world and society hungers for anything seemingly new and different. Congrats anyway to those who burst through the male dominated art world whether emulating that energy or not.

[@diemes5463]

Who in their right mind would say they're aren't any important female artists?

[@contemporaryartissue]

In art history there weren't any until Linda Nochlin wrote here famous essay 'Why have there been no great women artists?' in 1971, pointing out sexism in art history and the difficulties for female artists to get into institutions. What followed was shift in art historiography, resisting female masters of the past, but also creating awareness for female artists today.

[@paulskillman7595]

Swings, swings, swings! Now if we could just all swing together!

[@SierraSeverson]

Georgia O'Keeffe, Barbara Kruger

[@gloriasollecito164]

Very good but 23 is rather arbitrary. There are so many more. I missed seeing Louise Nevelson , for example.

[@contemporaryartissue]

Hi Gloria, thank you for tuning in. I agree! However a 20 minute video was already a stretch. Maybe we should do a part 2?

[@Lord_Heron]

I would like to have seen Rebecca Horn on this list, but I enjoyed it nonetheless. I would put Louise Bourgeois top personally and also would have expected to see Barbara Hepworth on this list too, and Frida Kahlo.

[@fvkc-r-e_2_d_9th-pwr14]

Kara Walker, Sarah Sze, Lisa Yuskavage, Katharina Fritsch, Tara Donovan, and Eva Hess, all of whom could easily have, and certainly should have displaced the singularly banal and unremarkable Candida Höfer. Ditto for Alicja Kwade. That said, nicely put together and thought provoking video, Thank you for that.

[@contemporaryartissue]

What a great list, all terrific artists. I would maybe also add Berlinde De Bruyckere and Ann Veronica Janssens (however I might be a bit a bias Belgian now...). Thank you for tuning in and sharing your thoughts

[@thomasmasingi3852]

I would add Wangechi Mutu,Mary Sibande,Pipilotti Rist and Zanele Muholi.

[@contemporaryartissue]

Absolutely, terrific suggestions. Zanele Muholi is one of my absolute favorite fine art photographers at the moment. Happy to see her name here in the comments!

[@thomasmasingi3852]

@@contemporaryartissue yeah Zanele is really awesome.Any other female fine art photographers that you would suggest I look at?

[@contemporaryartissue]

@@thomasmasingi3852 Absolutely. We have an entire video on fine art photography on our channel - including Zanele. Feel free to give it a watch!

[@thomasmasingi3852]

@@contemporaryartissue thank you so much I checked it out.

[@tilius.xyz_]

I guess women have to work much harder to be on a list a all, resulting in a much more exciting showcase than any men's list.

[@byfordjohn7380]

Barbara Hepworth, and Maggie Hambling

[@aquelpibe]

Great job, thank you! But a bit biased in favour of the German-speaking world, I think. Also, as others have pointed out, the ranking is debatable, and, in my view, unnecessary. Cindy Sherman is fine, but #1? Really? Louise Bourgeois and Yayoi Kusama stand out, with Marlene Dumas, Kiki Smith, Agnes Martin and Bridget Riley right behind them. Of the currently active artists I missed Rachel Whiteread, Adriana Varejão and Kara Walker. Honourable mentions to Vija Celmins, Beatriz Milhazes, Elisabeth Peyton. Other great artists that were not included, perhaps for being from an older generation are, in no particular order: Lee Krasner, Frida Kahlo, Lygia Clark, Alice Neel, Helen Frankenthaler, Louise Nevelson, Georgia O´Keefe, Leonora Carrington.

[@contemporaryartissue]

Dear aquelpibe, thank you so much for this wonderful comment filled with value. I agree on Sherman and your suggested top artists. The honorable mentions are plenty, happy to see their names pop up regularly here in the comments. Thanks for tuning in!

[@aquelpibe]

@@contemporaryartissue thank you for preparing the list and for your kind words.

[@contemporaryartissue]

@@aquelpibe The pleasure is all mine!

[@barbaravoss7014]

Why rate them? According to what criteria? They are all great--not necessary to add the silly competitive element. typically male!

[@contemporaryartissue]

Hi Barbara, thank you for watching. The used criteria are shows at major institutions, featuring in public collections, auction results, participating in major art events, exposure in major art publications, et cetera. We do not want to add a competitive element and we are not all male at CAI. We simply need these rankings to be able to make a relevant and objective selection of the top tier artists

[@danbowman9294]

Not male, but rather a human tendency.

[@margueritelarmand]

Magdalena Abakanowicz, please. Installation in multi-media.

[@contemporaryartissue]

Great suggestion, thanks!

[@victoriaspeth3265]

Missed Georgia Delaunay!!!

[@contemporaryartissue]

Agreed!

[@willywonka1854]

Hilma af Klint, Frida Kahlo, Alice Neel, Paula Modersohn Becker, Camille Claudel....to name a few missing here!!!!!!

[@carolineharnish5633]

Georgia O'Keeffe

[@contemporaryartissue]

Yes! Great shout

[@tatzenstein]

I miss artist from Latin América and África. I would sugest Lygia Clark for instand

[@Franko-B]

what only 23 ????? I think the list is super interesting but missing 3 important artist. Gina Pane , Judy Cicago, Rebecca Horn

[@sabbaththemuse6275]

Alice Neel

[@contemporaryartissue]

Agreed!

[@mattvaughn538]

Agnes Martin remains my favorite artist, bar none

[@nunsopink]

Why do they need to be ranked within the list, and how are you deciding ranking? Sales$ ?

[@contemporaryartissue]

The list has been created by an algorithm (by Artfacts) which ranks artists based upon objective data and career facts (such as shows at major institutions, auction results, biennials, collections, et cetera). Ranking them is not necessary indeed, but the selection is important. The algorithm is able to provide interesting results, but they still need to be interpreted with a critical pair of eyes and mind of course. The main reason why we adore to use the Artfacts algorithm is because it enables us to approach fame/popularity/pertinence in an objective manner. Otherwise, depending on the person who creates the list, it would be entirely different. If I would make them, I would be imposing my personal opinion to you, which I don't feel comfortable with. Instead, with this algorithm, we can create these rankings in a very coherent and consistent manner. It crawls all artists in the world, so every artist is considered, and it can often show a discrepancy between our perception of fame of specific artist versus reality.

[@craigdown8943]

Where is Emily Carr?

[@contemporaryartissue]

Great shout, great artist!

[@helenhunter4540]

There have been great women artists since the beginning of women. So that's it. Go find more of them.

[@contemporaryartissue]

Absolutely!

[@guynouri]

Lynda Benglis

[@contemporaryartissue]

Great suggestion!

[@artbytermeh]

I Would add Georgia O'Keeffe

[@contemporaryartissue]

Agreed!

[@thomasmasingi3852]

No matter what anyone says,Frida Khalo is the G.O.A.T.

[@contemporaryartissue]

She is!

[@object764]

Diane Arbus

[@contemporaryartissue]

She's one of the best for sure! We have included her in our list of the top 20 fine art photography artists today. Feel free to have a look on our channel. Have a great day

[@judyonzen]

did i miss something...no one black female artist on this list...ah !! i would include Kara Walker!!

[@contemporaryartissue]

Hi there Judy, great point, thank you for sharing. The list is based upon objective career data crawled by an algorithm. In other words, the list does not discriminate by race, ethnicity or gender, but it illustrates the art world still does. However, with the next generation the balance is becoming more equal so I am convinced we are heading into the right direction. Kara Walker would be a great fit indeed for this list, or Lynette Yiadom-Boakye, Otobong Nkanga and Wangechi Mutu in my opinion

[@danbowman9294]

Why not judge the art on its on merits, instead of silly PC inclusion politics?

[@judyonzen]

ah...ok...then why did we even make this top 23 "female " artists to begin with...now that is silly to begin with. no need to acknowlege sexism, racism, etc when we have merits,Amen to that!!! yes, a nice world you are living in SIR!

[@judyonzen]

CAI, thanks for your reply and explaination that totally convinced that the "spider"would safe your ass from being bias. happy new year, gentlemen!

[@danbowman9294]

@@judyonzen Another "woke" mental case. Do you wake up in the morning and look for things to be offended by?

[@trevordavies5486]

Niki de Saint Phalle

[@contemporaryartissue]

Yes! Terrific suggestions! Thank you for sharing here

[@craigsmith4105]

I would say they are "Great."

[@contemporaryartissue]

They sure are!

[@r.j3773]

Doris Salcedo, is amazing Colombian artist.