“I'm No Cactus Expert, But I Know A Prick When I See One” -Image, Text, Therapy and Vengeance in Art by Women

This dissertation examines the roles of text and image, therapy and vengeance in art made by women since the 20th century. It discusses the uses of text and image to create political artworks that can play important roles in feminism in regards to the artistic world and how often vengeance is used as a motivational source of inspiration. The dissertation addresses gender inequality and its place in art specifically created by women as it loosely follows a journey from the second wave of feminism in the 1960s to the present day. It also outlines, with reference to a body of artworks made by the author, a personal journey of pain, heartbreak and closure following a relationship breakdown and discusses the healing qualities of art as therapy.