Free Castration on Demand, A Woman's Right to Choose
Poster
ca. 1974 (made)
ca. 1974 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This witty and provocative poster challenges the viewer to engage with a number of issues. It makes references to debates within the Women's Movement over the 'castration' of women by medical procedures and to the feminist theories about male castration anxiety. The text echoes the contemporary slogan 'Free abortion on demand, a woman's right to choose' and expresses the artist's ambivalence about the 'simplistic demanding of abortion'. The image plays on the stereotype of the feminist as a wild Amazonian man-hater. It derives from Théophile Steinlen's poster showing Marianne, on behalf of French liberty, storming the fortress of capitalism.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Title | Free Castration on Demand, A Woman's Right to Choose (assigned by artist) |
| Materials and techniques | Colour screenprint |
| Brief description | 'Free Castration on Demand...' Women's Liberation Movement poster designed by Pen Dalton, UK, ca. 1974 |
| Physical description | This poster is printed in black, white, purple and blue. A female figure dressed in flowing purple robes stands to the left, holding a pair of scissors in her left hand. Her gaze stares outward to the left. A billowing blue banner undulates between her open arms. It reads "Free Castration/ On Demand/ A Woman's/ Right to Choose". |
| Dimensions |
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| Credit line | Gift of the American Friends of the V&A; Gift to the American Friends by Leslie, Judith and Gabri Schreyer and Alice Schreyer Batko |
| Subjects depicted | |
| Summary | This witty and provocative poster challenges the viewer to engage with a number of issues. It makes references to debates within the Women's Movement over the 'castration' of women by medical procedures and to the feminist theories about male castration anxiety. The text echoes the contemporary slogan 'Free abortion on demand, a woman's right to choose' and expresses the artist's ambivalence about the 'simplistic demanding of abortion'. The image plays on the stereotype of the feminist as a wild Amazonian man-hater. It derives from Théophile Steinlen's poster showing Marianne, on behalf of French liberty, storming the fortress of capitalism. |
| Other number | LS.1318 - Leslie Schreyer Loan Number |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | E.656-2004 |
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| Record created | June 10, 2004 |
| Record URL |
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