For this week’s episode the HAWG? gang went to see the exhibition ‘WORTH’ by the wonderful Lady Kitt at Praxis Gallery (link to episode here!). The exhibition addressed the representation of women in the everyday. This got us thinking: like art, the fight for equality should be inclusive rather than exclusive. The point of equality is that it is for the benefit of everyone! But just like art, so many times we see feminist (and various other social movements fighting for equality) divided into the ‘right’ way to fight for equality and the ‘wrong’ way. Sometimes this can bog down the fight, making it unapproachable for those on the outskirts of the battlefield, wanting to join in but not knowing how and worried they might take a wrong step.
Our attitude to this, just like with art, is to start a dialogue. We are here to educate and debate. We know we do not have all the answers, but through conversation and debate we are eager to learn and grow. We’re all entitled to our own opinions, not everyone has to agree with them but we do have to respect them.
We have collected a few different resources with regards to feminism within the context of art. The links provided have information on feminism, activism, the male gaze vs. the female gaze and female artists generally doing cool things. We wanted to make sure that you have some materials to help maintain your arsenal of knowledge, or give you a starting point if you are interested but don’t know where to begin! To make sure there is something for everyone we have provided a variety of different formats so that you can choose to have a casual browse or a full-on deep dive.
And as always, please feel free to get in touch if you would like to continue the conversation!
To Read:
The male glance how we fail to take women’s stories seriously // Long read
www.theguardian.com/news/2018/mar/06/the-male-glance-how-we-fail-to-take-womens-stories-seriously
From Trump to Brexit: how bad graphics triumphed over slick design // Medium Read
Political art is on the street, in public space, made by the every-man and in plain sight. And in today’s political climate we have been seeing more and more of it. I am of course referring to the banners and placards used in marches. This article by Oliver Wainwright for the guardian explores how the art of the people resonates more than that of sleek and expensive political campaigns.
This article is not specific to women, but it addresses how our art and our images can be used to empower our fellow human and communicate a message of justice and equality…
www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2018/mar/28/posters-protest-artworks-hope-to-nope-pink-pussyhat
In today’s art auctions, the ‘male gaze’ is going out of fashion // Short Read
Is the problematic male gaze finally becoming unpopular in the art market?
This art project shows men what it’s like to be harassed on the street // Short Read
www.indy100.com/article/art-project-shows-men-what-its-like-to-be-harassed-on-the-street-8284051
A classic role reversal – art that puts men in the position of women who are cat called and harassed on the street. It’s not a complement
To Watch:
Peggy Guggenheim: Art Addict // Film
Saw this in university with my fellow artist (then fellow art student) Sinead Whelan and it honestly changed the flames artist I wanted to become. If you want to know about a fucking cool art bitch, Peggy Guggenheim might be the OG
To See:
Dial Down The Feminism // Meme
Memes are wonderful beautiful things. We are big fans. Rosie might use a Curation Corner to argue that they are fragments of a larger post-modernist movement within a digital framework, but until that day, there is this: You may have seen the ‘dial down the feminism’ meme, and here is a small piece on its origin. Feminism is too problematic? Hmmm, maybe it is you that is too problematic.
Indian women wear cow masks to show they are less safe than cattle // In pictures
Indian women wearing cow masks on the street to address the fact that they are more at risk than sacred cattle. Using powerful religious iconography to prove their point
www.indy100.com/article/cow-masks-india-women-less-safe-sexual-assault-rape-murder-8375596
This artist put Donald Trump quotes on sexist 1950s advertising posters // In pictures
This artist puts Donald Trump Quotes on 1950’s posters, highlighting just how ridiculous and outdated his opinion on women really is (as if we didn’t know already! But still very entertaining)
www.indy100.com/article/donald-trump-misogynistic-vintage-posters-art-artist-satire-7643631
Celebrating the female gaze: women photographing women // In pictures
A series of photographs of women by women. A dynamic, diverse and thought provoking collection of images that is worth a look!
www.theguardian.com/culture/gallery/2017/jun/28/female-gaze-women-in-pictures
‘Girl on Girl’: Photographer Rose Willoughby explores the female gaze in delicate but deliberate portraits // Artist
( Artist: rosemaisiewilloughby.com)
To Hear:
Front Row: ‘Women and Sexism in the Arts’
www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b099v302
‘She Who Dares: Feminist Artists’
Elif Shafak a Turkish author and feminist activist celebrates female artists and female creativity
www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/w3csvs4q
Social Media:
This artist is turning all the sexist comments she receives on Instagram into art.
Instagram Accounts:
https://www.instagram.com/aminder_d/?hl=en
WOMAN WORLD by Aminder Dhaliwal // an ongoing comic about a future world in which women are the only people left on the planet, and the amazing relationships and scenarios therein.
https://www.instagram.com/girlgaze/?hl=en
Girlgaze // a platform to see works and art by women about women. They post great Instagram Stories about some amazing things women are doing and a weekly ‘Not Fake News’ story further exploring some major world events of that week.
Hey Art, Whats Good? 