HCCC Foundation Art Collection Celebrates Artwork by Women During Women’s History Month

The Foundation Art Collection proudly shines a spotlight on work by female artists all year round.

March 4, 2025, Jersey City, NJ – Women are surprisingly underrepresented in our nation’s art museums. There is no shortage of talented female artists, but artwork created by women accounts for a shockingly low 13% of the art in our nation’s art museums according to data from the National Museum of Women in the Arts.

March is Women’s History Month, and the Hudson County Community College (HCCC) Foundation Art Collection is celebrating women artists. Of the 2,039 objects in the Foundation Art Collection, 767 are known to be by women. The figure may be higher as there are hundreds of ancient pieces and artifacts created by Indigenous artists – the identity of these artists has been lost over time, so it isn’t possible to say if they were created by male or female artists. Artwork by women isn’t restricted to one area; instead, it is interwoven throughout the College’s Journal Square and North Hudson campuses. According to Dr. Andrea Siegel, curator of the Foundation Art Collection, “Artwork by women is inextricable, integrated, and everywhere.”

HCCC President Dr. Christopher Reber noted that “Reducing inequality and giving a platform to the underrepresented is at the core of this institution’s mission. We are proud that the Hudson County Community Foundation Art Collection is doing its part to bring visibility to the inspirational contributions of female artists.”

Prominent female artists featured in the Foundation Art Collection include Faith Ringgold, Miriam Schapiro, Nancy Spero, Joyce Kozloff, and many more. There are also many works by renowned female artists from New Jersey, including Joan Snyder, Chakaia Booker and more.

What topics do works by these female artists touch on? In short, everything, with a focus on social justice, fighting inequality, and working towards building a better life for all. According to Dr.Siegel, “Here at the college, women artists don’t just vanish into the fog. They are connected to the world around them, and they make a difference in it.”

HCCC is proud to shine a spotlight on the phenomenal work of female artists from around the world during Women’s History Month, and all year long.

If you’d like to arrange a tour of the Hudson County Community College Art Collection, please email Andrea Siegel at asiegelFREEHUDSONCOUNTYCOMMUNITYCOLLEGE.

If you’re interested in checking out the collection online, visit https://www.hccc.edu/community/arts/foundation-art-collection/category-collection-search.html.