Woman and Her Symbols

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By Mary Hopkins. An excellent, highly educational series of value to anyone, beginner or veteran of women's culture, who wants to know how and why the patriarchal perspective has been not only reflected but sustained by the imagery in the art of our culture. No matter how much you think you already know, you will learn something more from watching this series.

Part 1 - The Great Mother Earth

This first volume starts with the beginnings of human history and includes a feminist critique of the myth of the Virgin Mary. (49 minutes)

Part II - From Earth Mother to Love Goddess

The second volume documents, through an analysis of art, the fall of female divinity and the rise of patriarchy. (47 minutes)

Part III - Women Revisioning Ourselves

Volume three explores the post-patriarchal vision of women through contemporary art. Over 100 images by 17 artists from the U.S. and Canada are included. (48 minutes)

Part IV - The Muse in the Mirror

Subtitled Creativity, Projection and Internalized Oppressions, this video continues exploring the interesting research of Mary R Hopkins. From a perspective that acknowledges but does not accept the patriarchal point of view, she discusses the metaphor of the broken X chromosome in males, where that extra piece of genetic material has gone...and how the problems between heterosexual men and women have skewed society so peculiarly. (45-50 minutes)