Throughout history, women have made significant contributions to the arts which are often overlooked and undervalued. Despite facing systemic discrimination and limited opportunities, many talented women have overcome these obstacles and left their mark on the artistic world.
This Women’s History Month, it’s important to recognise the impact of female creatives and their invaluable contributions to the arts. As Women’s History Month comes to an end, we take a look back through history at five iconic women in the arts.
Hedy Lamarr
A Hollywood starlet with a brilliant brain, you might be more familiar with her appearances in Samson and Delilah (1949) or The Strange Woman (1946). However Hedy Lamarr (full name Hedwig Eva Maria Kiesler) invented the technology that forms the bases of many modern cornerstones: Bluetooth, GPS and Wi-Fi.
Born in 1914 in Vienna Austria after the start of the first world war, Hedy was born into a wealthy Jewish family. After one of her marriages failed, a chance meeting in London with Louis B. Mayer (of MGM Studios) brought her to America to captivate audiences around the world.
Margaretha MacLeod
Better known as Mati Hari, the Dutch exotic dancer was convicted as a spy by the French government in 1917. Born into rocky conditions as a child, Mati married young and was badly treated by her then-husband.
After attempting to leave the marriage with no financial support, she was forced to give up her daughter to her husband. Fleeing to Paris, her attributes as a dancer allowed her to earn enough money to support herself.
From there, she found herself with a reputation for seducing army officers and was charged with supplying information for the German army, however this is widely contested to this day.
Anna Pavlova
Arguably one of the world’s most famous dancers, the well-known dance The Dying Swan was choreographed specifically with Anna in mind.
Born in 1881 in Russia, Anna Pavlova was accepted to the Imperial School of Ballet at the Mariinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg at the young age of 10. After achieving success at home, Anna toured with various companies around Europe to critical acclaim before setting off on her own.
After achieving worldwide success as a dancer, Anna also opened an orphanage in Paris with her husband in 1920. It is also believed that the desert of the same name was invented in her honour.
Halle Berry
Halle Berry (born Maria Halle Berry) was born in Ohio, USA in 1966. Before starring as an actress in films, she entered in various beauty pageants before capturing hearts as one of the highest paid actresses in Hollywood in the 2000s.
After her moving portrayal of a troubled widow in the film Monster Ball, Halle was the first African-American actress to win an Academy Award, a feat which endures to this day.
Berry was also partly responsible for the successful flight against a natural gas facility off the coast of Malibu, along with a host of other famous names such as Pierce Brosnan, Cindy Crawford, Jane Seymour, Dick Van Dyke, Téa Leoni, and Daryl Hannah.
Georgia O’Keeffe
Georgia O’Keefe is one of the most well-known American artists in history, and is credited with igniting the start of the American Modernism movement.
Born in 1887, Georgia grew up with seven siblings in rural Wisconsin on a farm. Art had always been a passion as she moved to Chicago and then New York to study various painting techniques. After pioneering her own technique, based on the more abstract work of Arthur Wesley Dow, she became one of America’s most loved artists. Known for her bright, colourful and conceptual depictions of flowers and New York skyscrapers.
Recognising the impact of women artists, musicians, and writers is important not only for celebrating their achievements but also for inspiring future generations of women to continue breaking down barriers and pushing the boundaries of artistic expression. This Women’s History Month, let’s celebrate the contributions of women in the arts and continue working towards a more equal and inclusive world.
For more inspiring and iconic women, discover our hand-picked collection of iconic women through the ages.