This study tells the life stories of four Saudi female artists. Using life story narrative approach, I focused on the following research questions: How are Saudi female artists fulfilling their aspirations as artists in the conservative Saudi society? What are the common and divergent themes in the life stories of the Saudi women artists, namely Safeya Binzagr, Maha Almalluh, Tagreed Albagshi, and Fida Alhussan? The artists were interviewed using open-ended questions and asked to discuss their artwork. The postmodern feminism and social construction theories were used to understand their life experiences and how they came to be “successful artists” in the conservative Saudi society. The findings showed that family and formal education played an important role in these women’s life journeys as artists. The Saudi society was also a major influence, sometimes supporting them, at other times obstructing them. These artists share many personality features such as being persistent, believing in themselves, taking risks, facing challenges, being independent, being responsible as artists and as part of society, and being honest in their artwork. This study contributes to the art education curriculum in Saudi schools and universities. Globally, it contributes to women’s studies and to social and cultural studies in shedding light on the Saudi society, especially as it is experienced by women.

Marisol Escobar, known in the 1960s as the "Latin Garbo," is a sculptor famous for showing with the Pop art greats. However, Marisol holds a curious position in art history, stranded between the formalism of the fifties' and sixties' male-dominated Pop movement and the conceptual experimentation and radicalism that followed. Trained as a draftsman and painter early in her career, Marisol's main body of work mostly consists of large-scale wooden and mixed-medium sculpture. Lesser known, her lithographs, drawings, collages and small figurines further prove her technical and artistic validity. Preferring to go by surname only, Marisol’s quiet yet intense observation pinpoints the overriding human elements present in the objects of her scrutiny. Most notable for turning her gaze inwards, her self-portraiture defies easy categorization. Meshing American art and non-Western art styles while bridging the gap between intellectual understanding and empathetic approachability, Marisol represents a unique perspective that remains relevant today. Marisol's approach to self-portraiture is, first and foremost, in service to the exploration of her own identity. Furthermore, her choice of subject matter, artistic methodology and style appear closely aligned with Postmodern discourse. Each period of her work from the 1950s to the present day includes different guises and methods that subtly critique societal roles and norms, all presented through the lens of the artist's acute wit. Internationalism, gender roles, and explorations of identity are inherent in each of her works, proving that Marisol deserves further examination to explore her relation to Postmodern thought.

Uppsatsen handlar om konstnären Stina Forssells (1906-1970) liv och konstnärskap. Då hon varit tämligen okänd ges en biografisk skildring av hennes liv, från uppväxten i Uddevalla och fortsatta liv och verksamhet i Stockholm. Fakta har främst inhämtats via intervjuer av barn och barnbarn till vänner och släktingar. Hennes konstnärskap skildras genom beskrivning och tolkning av hennes huvudsakliga motivbilder som bestod av porträtt, interiörer, stilleben och landskap. Tolkningar sker genom formalanalyser och kontextuella analyser. Vidare studeras på vad sätt Forssells personlighet och den konst- och samhälleliga kontexten påverkade hennes konstnärskap samt hur hennes konstnärskap värderats utifrån ett genusperspektiv.     Utöver att vara en biografisk och konstanalytisk studie har ett av uppsatsens viktigaste syften varit att analysera vilken konststil Forssells konst kan innefattas i. Resultatet har blivit att en stor del av hennes viktigaste verk kan införlivas i konstriktningen den nya sakligheten. Ännu en frågeställning har gällt vilken position Stina Forssell har, och har haft, i svensk konsthistoria, och varför hon blivit bortglömd. Var hon ännu en av dessa kvinnliga konstnärer som borde förtjänat en mer framskjuten position? Är det på tiden att hon placeras jämsides med till exempel Arvid Fougstedt inom den nya sakligheten? / This essay is about the life and artistry of the artist Stina Forssell (1906-1970). As she has been relatively unknown, a biographical accpount of her life from growing up in Uddevalla and continued life and activities in Stockholm is given. The facts have mainly been gathered through interviews of children and grandchildren of friends and relatives. Her artistry is depicted through the description and interpretation og her main subject imageswhich consisted of prtraits, interiors, still lifes and landscapes. Interpretations take place through formal analyses and contextual analyses. Furthermore it is studied in what way Forssell´s personality, and the art and social context influenced her artistry and how her artistry was valued from a gender perspective.    In addition to being a biographical and art study, one of the most important purposes of the essay has been to analyse the art style of Forssell´s art. The result has been that a large part of her most important works can be incorporated into the art direction of the new objectivity. Another important question concerns what position Stina Forssell has in Swedish art history, and why she has been forgotten. Was she yet another one of those woman artists who deserved a more prominent position? Is it about time that she should be placed alongside, for example, Arvid Fougstedt in the art style of the new objectivity?