Creative women who inspire us (I)
In the framework of the celebration of March 8th (International Women’s Day) we asked our team to make a list of female references in the world of creativity –art, design, etc.– they drew inspiration from, both professionally and personally, be it through their talent, their work, their ideas, their dreams and/or achievements. Or simply because they were pioneers or leaders in their professional field.
With the collaboration of all the members of the NOMON team, we have gathered the names of some of the creative women who inspire us and whom we consider relevant.
Let’s start getting to know 10 of them …
1. Hannah Höch (1889-1978), a German plastic artist who was a pioneer in the Dadaist movement and who was very critical of the society of her time and a non-conformist with the role imposed on women.
2. Aino Aalto (1894-1949), architect and designer, pioneer of Finnish architecture. She lived in the shadow of her husband, Alvar Aalto, who is actually credited with some of her work. Aino created innovative pieces and made history in the field of glassware.
3. Frida Kahlo (1907-1954), Mexican painter. Her work revolves thematically around her biography and her own suffering. She was the author of 150 pieces of art, mainly self-portraits, in which she projected her hardships in surviving.
4. Ray Eames (1912-1988), American artist, architect, filmmaker and designer who revolutionised interiors with her colourful chairs and organic shapes. Alongside Charles Eames, her sentimental and artistic partner, she was prominent in the US for their work (Wire Mesh Chair or Ottoman Long Chair), but her boundless creativity never received the recognition she deserved, as she unfortunately lived in the shadow of her husband.
5. Agnes Martin (1912-2004), Canadian minimalist painter who is characterised by the subtlety and spiritual transcendence of her work.
6. Carmen Herrera (1915-2022), Cuban-American painter and sculptor. She pioneered Geometric Abstraction and Latin American Modernism. Her paintings in radiant colours and stunning geometric shapes went unnoticed for decades. Her recognition came very late, when she was about to turn 90. She passed away last February at the age of 106.
7. Florence Knoll (1917-2019), the most influential American architect in interior design. Characterised by her self-imposed discretion, she led colleagues and sculptors to design the most iconic furniture of the second half of the 20th century.
8. Ruth Asawa (1926-2013), Japanese-American sculptor who was a strong advocate for art education.
9. Bridget Riley (1931), English painter, prominent figure within the artistic Op Art movement. Her artistic origins are found in French Post-Impressionism. With a markedly experimental methodology, she explored the possibilities of optical phenomena that alter and disorient the viewer’s vision and perception.
10. Lella Vignelli (1934-2016), Italian architect and designer who co-founded Vignelli Associates with her husband, fellow designer Massimo Vignelli. She played a fundamental role in the international success of her firm and was also the one who brought a three-dimensional imagination to the design of her husband. A curious fact: Our colleague Cristina Riera began her professional career with them in New York.
Artists, architects, designers… Some are visible, others invisible until very recently, but no less inspiring. Classics, references recognised for their work and career, who were challenged to make their way in their period of time in fields which were mostly led by men, by whom they were often silenced or sidelined. However, all of them left their undisputable mark and continue to inspire us today.
What about you? Which women inspire you?
At NOMON we still have more references, which we will be sharing with you along the way.
Tags: Nomon Design
2022