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Joan Semmel's 'In the Flesh': Art Empowering Women

1/10/2026

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Summary

Story summary

Joan Semmel's exhibition In the Flesh at the Jewish Museum runs through May 31, 2026, challenging the male gaze and empowering women.
Born in the Bronx in 1932, Semmel returned to New York in 1970 and created paintings that subvert depictions of women, including Skin in the Game (2019).
Her 1976 triptych Mythologies and Me critiques media sexualization.
Semmel emphasizes that her art empowers women by empowering herself.

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Story summary

Joan Semmel's exhibition In the Flesh at the Jewish Museum runs through May 31, 2026, challenging the male gaze and empowering women.
Born in the Bronx in 1932, Semmel returned to New York in 1970 and created paintings that subvert depictions of women, including Skin in the Game (2019).
Her 1976 triptych Mythologies and Me critiques media sexualization.
Semmel emphasizes that her art empowers women by empowering herself.