Forms of Life and the Life of Forms: Clay Figurines in Women’s Art

From the end of the XIX century until the second half of the XX century, there is a ‘hidden-stream’ world of women’s popular art in traditional clay work of the Barcelos region – Galegos parishes. At a time when mainstream aesthetic values in fine art are undergoing fundamental change, research into this tradition could contribute to the current status of knowledge of aesthetic value in general, particularly with regard to evaluating the aesthetic in hidden-stream art forms, and the reasons for the negative value attached to female art production. This paper documents and records visually clay figurines of these women artisans, determines how the ceramic tradition is passed on in the community, and reveals the artisans’ views of its meaning, significance, and aesthetic worth. From a feminist perspective, the research will inquire into the aesthetic and other concerns of the women artisans and ascertain their audiences and their reasons for valuing or not valuing the work. Male and female responses to the products of a traditionally female ceramic occupation will be compared. There is a need to document processes of informal and continuous training made available for those who might wish to participate in the future, and to determine the extent to which this heritage is dependent on gender divisions in Portuguese society undergoing a process of change.