Gender

Judy Chicago has confronted traditional gender roles and stereotypes throughout her career. From Womanhouse to her glass “Heads” series and beyond, she has questioned notions of the masculine and feminine, often criticizing the constraints of their definitions. The works in PowerPlay particularly address the issue of toxic masculinity as seen most directly in the large-scale paintings from the series such as Driving the World to Destruction and Three Faces of Man.

162 items on this page

PowerPlay

Artwork, Drawing

Drawing in black and rainbow colors of a man extending his hands towards the viewer with rainbows emanating from them

PowerPlay. Study for Rainbow Man

Drawing in brown of two nude male figures, one facing the other turned away from the viewer

PowerPlay. Blood Chain

Black-and-white drawing of a nude man holding his hands to his face and crying

PowerPlay. Such a Sad Boy

Black-and-white drawing of a male torso with arms extended toward the viewer

PowerPlay. Study for the Offering

Black-and-white drawing of a man with hands extended

PowerPlay. Male Figure Study

Black-and-white drawing of three men where one is holding reins, one is extending his hand like a gun from which liquid spurts, and the third is urinating on a landscape

PowerPlay. Study for Pissing on Nature and Handgun

Black-and-white drawing of a nude man seated with legs crossed

PowerPlay. Male Figure Study

Black-and-white drawing of six faces with handwritten annotations below

PowerPlay. Study for Woe Man #2

Black-and-white drawing of a nude man standing with one knee propped up, urinating

PowerPlay. Study for Pissing on Nature

Drawing in shades of beige, red, green, and blue of ten heads in various poses

PowerPlay. Study for Disfigured Heads

Black-and-white drawing of a nude man holding reins in his outstretched arms

PowerPlay. Driven by Culture

Drawing in earth tones of a seated nude man holding reins

PowerPlay. Study for Driving the World to Destruction

Multi-colored drawing on gray paper of a face with an open mouth and liquid dripping from one empty eye

Study for Doublehead 3

Drawing in shades of blue and orange of a nude man holding the arms of two nude women above him

PowerPlay. Struggling with the Shadow of His Mother

Drawing in black and red of a man extending his hand in the shape of a gun spurting red liquid

PowerPlay. Study for Handgun 1

Multi-colored drawing of three abstract figures reaching for each other in a circle where one figure is a woman holding a baby

PowerPlay. Wrestling with the Shadow for Her Life

Black-and-white drawing of a nude man extending his fingers, which fade into the background

PowerPlay. Untitled PowerPlay Study

Drawing in black and red of a wrinkled face with an open mouth surrounded by handwritten annotations

PowerPlay. Study for Malehead 2

Black-and-white drawing of a nude man leaning forward and resting one hand on his knee

PowerPlay. Study of Male Figure 1

Drawing in black outline of a figure reaching hands toward the viewer

PowerPlay. Attracting Her With His Light

Black-and-white drawing of a nude man extending both arms

PowerPlay. Male Figure Study 2

Black-and-white drawing of a nude man extending both arms

PowerPlay. Male Figure Study 3

Black-and-white drawing of a man extending his hands toward the viewer

PowerPlay. Study for Lights Out

Drawing in red of a nude man with long hair placing his hand on his shoulder

PowerPlay. Untitled Male Figure Study

Drawing in black and red of a man extending his hand in the shape of a gun spurting red liquid with a shadow behind him

PowerPlay. Study for In the Shadow of a Handgun

Drawing in shades of pink, red, green, and blue of a man clutching a crying woman to his chest

PowerPlay. Struggling with the womanly feelings in his heart

Drawing in black outline of a figure holding up hands

PowerPlay. Deflecting Her With the Same Light

Black-and-white drawing of a kneeling man urinating on a landscape

PowerPlay. Study for Pissing on Nature

Black-and-white drawing of a man urinating on a landscape

PowerPlay. Study for Pissing on Nature

Drawing in black outline of a figure reaching hands toward the viewer

PowerPlay. Lights Out

Black-and-white drawing of three men where one is holding a steering wheel, one is extending his hand like a gun from which liquid spurts, and the third is urinating

PowerPlay. Study for Male Dominance

Drawing in gray and rainbow colors of a nude man with his hands crossed in his lap

PowerPlay. Untitled Male Torso front

Drawing in black and red of a man extending his hand in the shape of a gun spurting red liquid with a shadow behind him

PowerPlay. Study for In the Shadow of a Handgun

Black-and-white drawing of a hand with curving fingers

PowerPlay. Study of a Hand

Drawing in black and rainbow colors of a man extending his hands towards the viewer with rainbows curving around him on the right

PowerPlay. Study for Lights Out

Black-and-white drawing of two hands reaching down with curving fingers

PowerPlay. Study of Two Hands

Black-and-white drawing of a fist

PowerPlay. Study of a Fist

Black-and-white drawing of a wrinkled face with an open mouth and liquid dripping from one eye, annotated in red handwriting

PowerPlay. Study for Doublehead with notes

Drawing in earth tones of a nude man clutching his hands near his shoulder

PowerPlay. Trying to Fend Her Off After He Attracted Her

Drawing in black and red of a man holding chains encircling the Earth

PowerPlay. Blood Chain

Drawing in black and red of a man extending his hand in the shape of a gun spurting red liquid

PowerPlay. Study for Handgun

Black-and-white drawing of a man extending his hand in the shape of a gun spurting red liquid

PowerPlay. Study for Handgun 2

Black-and-white drawing of a man extending his hand in the shape of a gun

PowerPlay. Study for Handgun 4

Drawing in black and rainbow colors of a faceless man reaching toward the viewer surrounded by rainbow stripes

PowerPlay. Study for Rainbow Man Lights Out

Drawing in shades of blue, gray, and yellow of a kneeling man urinating into a landscape

Pissing on Nature 2

Black-and-white drawing of a man extending his arms

PowerPlay. Reaching Out is Dangerous They Told Him

Drawing in black and red of a figure holding out their hand like a gun with red liquid spraying from it

PowerPlay. Handgun 1

Drawing in black and red of a figure holding out their hand like a gun with red liquid spraying from it and a red puddle below

PowerPlay. Handgun 2

Drawing in black and rainbow colors of two hands reaching upwards, intersected with rainbow spikes

PowerPlay. Deflecting Her With the Same Light

White on black drawing of a nude man holding reins in his outstretched arms

PowerPlay. Study for Driving the World to Destruction

Black-and-white drawing of a man holding reins encircling the Earth on fire

PowerPlay. Study for Driving the World to Destruction

Drawing of a nude man in rainbow colors clutching his chest and belly

Drawing in black and yellow of a man propping up one leg and urinating

Study for Pissing on Nature

Drawing of a nude male figure urinating

Study for Pissing on Nature

Drawing in black and yellow of a man bent over and holding his hands to his head Annotated with handwriting below

It Hurt So Much It Made a Coward Out of Him

Drawing in black and red of a man holding his hands to his head as blood streams over his face

He Couldn't Stop the Blood He'd Shed from Showing All Over Him

Explosive matter spews from a man's finger, which is pointing like a handgun. Behind the image of the man is his shadow.

In the Shadow of the Handgun 2

Drawing of a man in shades of red, blue, and green, holding his hand out like a gun, from which blood spurts and a blue shadow behind him

In the Shadow of the Handgun 2

Drawing in shades of pink and brown of a man choking a woman

Trying to Kill the Woman Inside Him

Drawing in black, blue, and red of a man clutching at the throat of a crying, prone woman

PowerPlay. Struggling with His Female Self

Drawing of a man in rainbow colors clenching his fists

Study for Lights Out, to Donald

Drawing in black and rainbow colors of a man holding his hands up in front of his chest where his palms have red stigmata and his face is covered with rainbow stripes

PowerPlay. Study for Rainbow Man with Stigmata

Drawing in black and pink of a face turning to the right with an open mouth

Study for Malehead 3

Drawing in black and red of a man's face with a large red shadow on one cheek

Study for Disfigured Head 2

Drawing divided into four quadrants, each depicting a muscular nude man holding a steering wheel amid different multi-colored abstract and representational images annotated with handwriting on tan paper

Four Studies for Driving the World to Destruction

Drawing in shades of white and brown on tan paper of three faces with different expressions annotated with handwriting below

Study for Three Faces of Man: "Weeping is Womanly"

Drawing in shades of white and brown on tan paper of three faces with different expressions annotated with handwriting below

Study for Three Faces of Man: "Real Feelings Are Covered Up"

Drawing in shades of pink, red, and turquoise of two men holding their hands to their faces and crying annotated with handwriting on tan paper

Weeping Maleheads: If Only They Would/Could

Drawing of two wrinkled faces in rainbow colors on beige paper with open mouths with handwriting inside and where the face on the left is crying and the one on the right is missing an eye

Really Sad/Power Mad

Drawing in shades of gray, pink, red, and blue of a reclining man's head He is clenching his eyes shut

PowerPlay. Study for Making Himself Vulnerable

Drawing of a man grabbing a woman's breast as she cries

Trying to Kill the Womanly Feelings in his Heart

Drawing in shades of pink, red, and blue of a man clutching a crying woman's breast

PowerPlay. Trying to Kill the Womanly Feelings in His Heart

Black-and-white drawing of a muscled, shirtless man gripping a steering wheel

Driving the World to Destruction, Blue plate #5

Black-and-white drawing of a muscled, shirtless man gripping a steering wheel

Driving the World to Destruction, Plate #6

Drawing in shades of black and red of a face looking upward with an open mouth

PowerPlay. Malehead 1

Drawing of a muscled, shirtless man gripping a steering wheel with flames emerging from it

Driving the World to Destruction, Plate #6B

Black-and-white drawing of a muscled, shirtless man gripping a steering wheel with flames emerging from it

Driving the World to Destruction, Red plate #4

Drawing in black and red of a man extending his hand in the shape of a gun spurting liquid and a shadow behind him

PowerPlay. Study for Handgun

Black-and-white drawing of a man holding a hand to his face and crying with handwritten annotations

PowerPlay. Study for Weeping Men 3

Black-and-white drawing of a silhouette of a muscled man gripping something

Driving the World to Destruction, White plate #1

PowerPlay. Study for Weeping Men 4

Drawing of a muscled, shirtless man gripping a steering wheel with a dark shadow above

Driving the World to Destruction, Plate #3 Earth/Flames Ground

Drawing in shades of black and brown of a man holding his hand to his face and crying

PowerPlay. Study for Weeping Men 2

Drawing in black and red of a sneering face

PowerPlay. Malehead 2

Black-and-white drawing of a man holding his head in his hands and crying

PowerPlay. Study for Weeping Men 1

Drawing in black and rainbow colors of a man holding up his hands with rainbow stripes between them and rainbow stripes on his face

PowerPlay. Study for the Rainbow Man

Black-and-white drawing of two ridged faces, one crying, one angry

Rather Rage than Tears, Study (for Retrospective in a Box)

Artwork, Painting

Painting in shades of beige, red, and green of a face with an open mouth and liquid dripping from one empty eye

PowerPlay. Golden Doublehead #4

Painting in shades of pink and turquoise of a face with a wrinkled neck looking upward

PowerPlay. Woe Man with Turquoise Chin #2

Framed painting in shades of pink, black, and blue of a face with a wrinkled neck looking upward

PowerPlay. Woe Man with Mask #11

Painting in shades of pink, brown, and turquoise of a face with a wrinkled neck and writing over one eye looking upward

PowerPlay. Woe/Woe Bloody Man #8

Painting in rainbow colors of a face with a wrinkled neck looking upward

PowerPlay. Woe Man with Rainbow Eye #7

Painting of a man in rainbow colors holding his hand out like a gun, from which blood spurts and a blue shadow behind him, spurting rainbow colors

In the Shadow of the Handgun

Painting in shades of beige, pink, and blue of a man astride a kneeling woman pulling her hair as liquid emanates from her breast

Crippled by the Need to Control/Blind Individuality

Painted triptych of three nude men reaching for or interacting with abstract rainbow shapes

Painting in rainbow colors of a nude man propping his leg on a landscape and urinating into flames

Pissing on Nature

Painting in earth tones of three male faces with different expressions

The Three Faces of Man

Painting of a muscular nude man holding a steering wheel below flames

Driving the World to Destruction

Painting of a muscular nude man holding a steering wheel amid rainbow streaks of color

Study for Driving the World to Destruction, ver. I

Painting of a wrinkled face in shades of pink and light purple with a tear dripping from a missing eye and an open mouth

Angry Doublehead with Cut #9

Painting of a dark pink, upturned face with a wrinkled neck

PowerPlay Series: Woe/Man with Spittle, edition 6/12

Painting of a wrinkled face in shades of pink, red, and light purple with a tear dripping from a missing eye and an open mouth

Doublehead with Torn Tear #12

Painting of an orange, upturned face with a wrinkled neck

PowerPlay Series: Woe/Man with Turquoise Chin, edition 2/12

Painting in shades of pink, red, and brown of a face with a wrinkled neck looking upward

Woe/Man with Spirits #6

Painting of a beige, upturned face with writing across the eyes and a wrinkled neck

PowerPlay Series: Woe/Woe Bloody Man, edition 8/12

Painting in shades of pink, purple, and turquoise of a face with a wrinkled neck looking upward

Woe/Man with Blue Eye #9

Painting in shades of beige, pink, and turquoise of a face with a wrinkled neck looking upward

PowerPlay. Woe Man with a Bleeding Notch #4

Painting in shades of beige, red, and blue of a face with an open mouth and liquid dripping from one empty eye and handwriting inside the mouth

PowerPlay. Doublehead with Blue and Orange Save Me #11

Painting in shades of pink, purple, and blue of a face with an open mouth and liquid dripping from one empty eye and handwriting inside the mouth

PowerPlay. Roaring Doublehead with Bleeding Tear #8

Painting in shades of beige, red, yellow, and blue of a face with an open mouth and liquid dripping from one empty eye

PowerPlay. Doublehead with Red Eyebrow #10

Painting of a wrinkled, pink face with an open mouth and a tear falling from one eye

PowerPlay Series: Angry Doublehead with Cut, edition 9/12

Painting of a wrinkled, orange face with an open mouth with lettering in it and a tear falling from one eye

PowerPlay Series: Doublehead with Blue and Orange/Save Me, edition 11/12

Painting of a wrinkled, beige face with an open mouth and a tear falling from one eye

PowerPlay Series: Doublehead with Blue Eye, edition 1/12

Painting of a wrinkled, pink and blue face with an open mouth with lettering in it and a tear falling from one eye

PowerPlay Series: Doublehead with Gold Tear/Help Me, edition 6/12

Painting of a wrinkled orange face with an open mouth and a tear falling from one eye

PowerPlay Series: Doublehead with Green Eye Lid, edition 2/12

Painting of a wrinkled, dark pink face with an open mouth and a tear falling from one eye

PowerPlay Series: Doublehead with Milky Tear, edition 3/12

Painting of a wrinkled, orange face with an open mouth and a tear falling from one eye

PowerPlay Series: Doublehead with Red Eyebrow, edition 10/12

Painting of a wrinkled, brown face with an open mouth and a tear falling from one eye

PowerPlay Series: Doublehead with Torn Tear, edition 12/12

Painting of a wrinkled, orange face with an open mouth and a tear falling from one eye

PowerPlay Series: Golden Doublehead, edition 4/12

Painting of a wrinkled face in shades of pink, orange, and purple with a tear dripping from a missing eye and an open mouth with handwriting in it

Lavender Doublehead/Hold Me 5

Painting of a wrinkled, pink and blue face with an open mouth with lettering in it and a tear falling from one eye

PowerPlay Series: Growling Doublehead, edition 7/12

Painting of a wrinkled, pink and blue face with an open mouth with lettering in it and a tear falling from one eye

PowerPlay Series: Roaring Doublehead with Bleeding Tear, edition 8/12

Painting in shades of pink and turquoise of a face with an open mouth and liquid dripping from one empty eye

PowerPlay. Doublehead with Blue Eye #1

Painting of an orange, upturned face with a wrinkled neck

PowerPlay Series: Woe/Man with Bleeding Notch, edition 4/12

Painting in shades of pink and brown of a face with an open mouth and liquid dripping from one empty eye

PowerPlay. Doublehead with Green Eye Lid #2

Painting of a pink and blue, upturned face with a wrinkled neck

PowerPlay Series: Woe/Man with Blue Eye, edition 9/12

Painting in shades of pink and turquoise of a face with an open mouth and liquid dripping from one empty eye

PowerPlay. Doublehead with Milky Tear #3

Painting of a yellow, upturned face with a wrinkled neck

PowerPlay Series: Woe/Man with Burning Throat, edition 10/12

Painting of a wrinkled face in shades of pink, red, and turquoise with a tear dripping from a missing eye and an open mouth with handwriting in it

Growling Doublehead #7

Painting of an orange, upturned face with a wrinkled neck with a red gash on it

PowerPlay Series: Woe/Man with Slit Throat, edition 5/12

Painting of a female torso in shades of red and blue dotted with tiny mouths

Artwork, Print

Black-and-white print of various abstract shapes and shapes resembling an eye and two nipples

PowerPlay. Drawings for Mezzotints for Test - Disfigured Heads

Multicolored print of a muscled shirtless man gripping a steering wheel with flames emanating from it

Driving the World to Destruction, edition 11/50

Print of two beige, ridged faces, one crying, one angry

Rather Rage Than Tears (Digital Print)

Print of two beige, ridged faces, one crying, one angry with a color palette and annotations above

Rather Rage Than Tears (Proof)

Artwork, Sculpture

Relief sculpture in shades of orange and turquoise of a face with a wrinkled neck looking upward

Relief sculpture of a wrinkled face in shades of orange and turquoise with a tear dripping from a missing eye and an open mouth

Relief sculpture in shades of gold, brown, and turquoise of a partial, wrinkled face with an open mouth

Documentary Photos

Five different black and white photographs of a man's head taped to a white surface

PowerPlay. Maleheads - multiple

Collage of drawings, black and white photographs, and color reproductions of men's faces and body parts on a gray background

Vitrine of studies for PowerPlay

Black-and-white photograph of a man's head looking down with his eyes shut tight

Malehead Insert 5

Motorcycle with Rider 25

Three black and white photographs of a man's face making different facial expressions

Three Faces of Man Composite

Color photograph of four large paintings hanging on white walls in a gallery

Installation view, Power Play

Judy Chicago stands before her artwork speaking to an audience

Judy Chicago talks about ReViewing PowerPlay at David Richard Gallery, Santa Fe, New Mexico

Color photograph of two large, colorful paintings hanging on a white wall in a gallery

Installation view of ReViewing PowerPlay at David Richard Gallery, Santa Fe, New Mexico

Early Work/Minimal (1965-70)

Artwork, Painting

Car hood painted various shades of blue, red, green, purple, yellow, and white in an abstract design

Holocaust Project

Artwork, Painting

Painting of six women gathered around a table smoking and drinking, some wearing men's clothing

Detail (bottom panel) from Lesbian Triangle

Detail of a painting with six women, some wearing men's clothing, sitting or standing around a table

Detail (bottom panel) from Lesbian Triangle

Painted photograph divided into two main sections with figures are entwined below a Nazi soldier inside a triangle and images of a guard tower and bunk beds in the background above and figures dancing and sitting at tables with drinks below

Lesbian Triangle

Painting of a man wearing a white coat holding a woman whose pelvis is being x-rayed by a ray of green light from a machine

Four Questions – Panel 4 (view from left)

Early Feminist (1970-74)

Artwork, Print

A blue-tinted photographic image of a kneeling, nude woman with an extended arm pointing a gun at her vagina

A black-and-white photographic image depicting a hand holding the barrel of a gun up to a short-haired woman's open mouth

Gunsmoke, edition of 95

Early Feminist (1970-74), Cats and Kitty City

Artwork, Print

A square black-and-white print on a larger square paper which depicts a circular radial design

Potent Pussy/Homage to Lamont - 1, edition 7/7

A square black-and-white print in the center of a square paper which depicts a circular radial design

Potent Pussy/Homage to Lamont - 2, edition 7/7

A square black-and-white print in the center of a square paper which depicts a circular radial design

Potent Pussy/Homage to Lamont - 3, edition 7/7

A square white print in the center of a square black paper which depicts a circular radial design

Potent Pussy/Homage to Lamont - 4, edition 7/7

A square white print in the center of a square black paper which depicts a circular radial design

Potent Pussy/Homage to Lamont - 5, edition 7/7

A square white print in the center of a square black paper which depicts a circular radial design

Potent Pussy/Homage to Lamont - 6, edition 7/7

Black-and-white print of a face with black text printed above and below

Potent Pussy/Homage to Lamont - Colophon edition 7/7

Black-and-white print of a black cat in a white square with white text above and below on black paper

Potent Pussy/Homage to Lamont - Cover, edition 7/7

Black-and-white print of black text near the bottom of a white square

Potent Pussy/Homage to Lamont - Quote, edition 7/7