Printmaking has served as a stepping stone for many women artists, enabling their work to reach the masses thanks to its accessible form. Matrix: Prints by Women Artists, 1960–1990 explores a period of experimentation in printmaking among women artists, who used the art form as a means of creative expression and also a way to enter the male-dominated art market. Historically, women artists had encountered institutional barriers to success in the fine arts, including a lack of access to formal training, exhibitions, and sales. The 1960s ushered in an era of massive social change, including the feminist movement, which sought equal rights and opportunities and greater personal freedom for women. It became a period of great artistic experimentation and collaboration.