Beyond the Binary: Gender & Space in the Art of Helen McNicoll (1879-1915)

Authors

Jakira Ahmed, Wayne State UniversityFollow

Abstract

In recent art history discourse, scholars have proposed reworking the binarism perpetuated by separate sphere ideology that led to a lack of nuance. This paper situates itself within this renewed framework, using McNicoll’s market scenes which breaks down the rigid dichotomous nature of gendered spaces and confronts how labor and class relations complicate the gender-spatial dynamic. I propose that these images begin to collapse the binaries of the public/private and urban/rural debates, creating more fluid binaries.

Recommended Citation

Ahmed, Jakira (2025) "Beyond the Binary: Gender & Space in the Art of Helen McNicoll (1879-1915)," Rushton Journal of Undergraduate Humanities Research: Vol. 3, Article 8.
Available at: https://digitalcommons.wayne.edu/rushton/vol3/iss1/8