Rainbow Shabbat 1992

Judy Chicago made ‘Rainbow Shabbat’ in, well, we don’t know exactly when, but it feels pretty contemporary, and like it was made with stained glass or some other vibrant, transparent medium. The colors, as the title suggests, are all over the rainbow, laid out in geometric patterns that feel both structured and totally free. I get the sense that Chicago really enjoyed the process of choosing each color and placing it just so; it's like she’s conducting a symphony of light. Looking closer, I see how the light filters through each pane, creating this warm, inviting glow. It's not just about the colors themselves, but also about the way they interact with each other, blending and shifting as the light changes. There’s a cat at the bottom. Cats are cool. I love cats. This piece makes me think of Miriam Schapiro, another feminist artist who wasn’t afraid to embrace joy and beauty in her work. Both artists remind us that art can be a powerful tool for celebrating life, even in the face of adversity. It's about embracing ambiguity and letting the work speak for itself, in all its messy, glorious complexity.