Contemporary Feminist Art: How Artists Convey Ideas and How Chinese Adults (18-55) Understand Them

Abstract: Contemporary art is often criticized for not exhibiting 'true art' values and incapable of addressing social issues effectively despite its historical role as a powerful medium for catalysing social change and articulating complex ideas. This study strives to answer 2 fundamental questions: how do contemporary artists attempt to convey feminist ideas through their work, and how are adults aged 18–55 living in China, with varying artistic interpretation experiences, able to understand and engage with the intended meanings?

Employing a questionnaire with 69 participants and analysing 10 Contemporary feminist artworks with diverse themes & origins, the results showed that a description of intended meanings improved participants’ alignments, regardless of the ambiguity of some artworks. Artworks employing clear and socially recognizable symbolism is a notable factor for comprehensible message delivery than other artworks with indirect symbolisms. Participants’ self-reported familiarity with art likely altered interpretation confidence leading to undetermined responses, and attitudes towards the abstract nature of contemporary art was divided, some viewing it as a barrier, others appreciated its distinctive value. These findings support reevaluating contemporary art’s effectiveness in presenting feminist themes and influential factors that escalate audience engagement.