early life and influences Judy Sylvia Cohen, known professionally as judy chicago, was born on july 20, 1939, in chicago, illinois. Her early life was marked by her father's activism and the subsequent turmoil during the mccarthyism era. This exposure to social and political issues would later influence her artistic themes. Arthur Cohen, a labor organizer and Marxist, instilled in Judy a lifelong passion for social justice and a belief that the purpose of life was to make a difference. Her mother, May Cohen, a former dancer, recognized her daughter’s abilities and enrolled her at an early age…