Margaret Harrison facts for kids

Margaret Harrison is a British artist born in 1940 in Wakefield, England. She is known for her art and for being a feminist. This means she believes in equal rights and opportunities for women. Her art uses many different materials and ideas.

Margaret's Life and Education

Margaret was born in Yorkshire, England. After her father came home from the war, her family moved. They lived first in Bridlington, then in Cumbria.

Margaret studied art at several places. From 1957 to 1961, she went to the Carlisle College of Art. Then, from 1961 to 1964, she studied at the Royal Academy Schools in London. She finished her studies in 1965 at the Perugia Fine Arts Academy in Italy.

Important Art Projects

In 1970, Margaret Harrison helped start the London Women's Liberation Art Group. This group brought together women artists. They wanted to use art to support women's rights.

Between 1973 and 1975, Margaret worked with two other artists, Kay Hunt and Mary Kelly. They studied women who worked in a metal box factory in Bermondsey, London.

Women and Work Project

Their study became an art show called Women and Work: A Document on the Division of Labour in Industry 1973–1975. It was first shown in 1975. The exhibition shared the stories of 150 working women. It showed how they felt about their jobs. It also looked at how the Equal Pay Act of 1970 changed things for workers.

Socially Focused Art

In 1980, Margaret's art was part of a big show in London. The show was called Issue: Social Strategies by Women Artists. It featured art that focused on social issues and women's experiences. Many people saw her work as important for feminist art.

Exhibitions and Recognition

Margaret Harrison continues to create art. She has shown her work in many countries. These include America, Switzerland, and Great Britain. Her art has been displayed in famous museums. These include the Museum of Contemporary Art and the Tate Modern.

In 2011, her exhibition "I am a Fantasy" was shown in East London. In 2013, she won the Northern Art Prize. This is an award for artists in the north of England. In 2015, she had a solo show in New York City. A large show looking back at all her work was held in Bilbao, Spain, from 2017 to 2018.