20th Century Female Abstract Expressionists’ Overcoming of Societal Constraints and Their Impacts on the Future Art World
Katherine Yang

Abstract
This paper focuses on how female Abstract Expressionists used their talent and bravery to break through societal injustice and how their action has positively impacted future women artists. Following up on the Suffrage Movement in the mid-19th century, women gradually gained more rights and more representation. Influenced by the previous generation, women artists (Lee Krasner, Elaine de Kooning, and Helen Frankenthaler) in the 20th century continued women’s legacy, promoting and fighting for their place in the art world. Through secondary research, this paper investigates how several significant women artists pushed beyond societal norms after marrying a male artist. By analyzing future women artists’ artworks and comparing them with 20th-century artworks, connections between past and present women artists were made, leading to the conclusion of how the past has influenced the future. Finally, it is uncovered how marginalized artists pave the way for the next generation.

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