Interview with the creator of the Women's Art project.

Women's Art project logo - Reworking of Ana Mendieta's work

The creator of the Women's Art project, internationally well-known and massively followed on social media, likes to stay anonymous - the project was never about her but about a lack of global and historic female representation. She comes from a background of  'DIY' (do it yourself) ethics and activism....which means tackling problem that often authorities ignore. This can mean working individually or in small communities to combat social problems or injustices. In terms of art, she felt that the mainstream gallery systems are too male centric and also too white and too Western in their promotions. Her idea was to start an online gallery to combat this elitism and Twitter is a suitable platform. Social media also is very accessible to a range of people unlike museums which can alienate some. Now, the interview! (here's the link to the interview in Spanish).

1. The Women’s Art project works as an online gallery that aims to combat the Western, androcentric elitism in art History. How did you first come to the realization that it was a necessity to create such an art project, and how has the public reacted to Women’s Art online platform? What’ve you learnt through the years of uploading the Women’s Art project social media, regarding both art History and the contemporary art scene?

In my academic life I discovered very early on that the art history I was being educated on was being defined as Western, white and male. Despite attempts to look at aspects of this bias, art by anyone else, including half the global population - women, was being treated as a minority subject. In my own time I began researching the subject. The idea to share it via social media seemed like a way to create a framework and resource for the research and to share it. I soon found that there was an audience who were interested, perhaps involving many who weren’t necessarily into tradition galleries, but just curious-which is great. What I’ve learnt is that people seem very ready for some fresh perspectives and also that women’s creative talents are boundless, innovative and often courageous.

2. When it comes to women artists, being women is not always the only source of invisibility and silencing. Multiply marginalized women artists are often used to seeing their rage and general emotionality met with an invalidating mix of misogyny and racism, ableism or transphobia. How do you think projects such as Women’s Art can help uplift the voices and artistic creations of those who can even feel alienated from mainstream feminism and the feminist art scene? Which are the specific issues multiply marginalized women artists might be facing regarding their artistic creation and subjectivities?

I start from the premise that all women are marginalised because of the fact of being women, and all have an equally valid story regarding their art and their womanhood. Within that, of course multi-layered marginalisation exists. The idea has been to represent a broad spectrum of art and ideas which in turn may indicate cultural or historic or personal meaning on the artist’s own terms. But interestingly, this has also uncovered many threads that bind women together, whether experientially or biologically, in globally shared themes and subject matter. I think social media can act as an amazingly accessible platform for many people who feel alienated from all areas of mainstream culture - if used positively. Being given space to have a voice is one of the main issues all marginalised people face.

3. You come from a background of ‘Do It Yourself’ ethics and activism. How do you think person-to-person actions and political organization in small, marginalized communities that are often portrayed as powerless or uneducated by mainstream media can fight systemic violence such as the patriarchy or white supremacy? How does this kind of political organization relate to the art scene, to you?

I think small scale activism is extremely important, so much comes out of humble beginnings. I don’t think you can change the world over night, but you can improve your own little bit of it. In terms of art it can translate into a million actions and ideas. I’ve personally been involved in creating arts events highlighting women’s art and music, multicultural arts groups, zines, banner making, refugees’ groups, girl’s music workshops, skill sharing etc…the possibilities are endless. The point is to do something if you can, rather than not. When we look at US feminist and African American artists from the 1970’s for example, people who were excluded from mainstream arts scene created their own studios, exhibitions and publicity. Well-known artists such as Faith Ringgold, Judy Chicago and Louise Bourgeois all came from that background.

4. In the last few years, we have witnessed the highlighting of past women artists such as Frida Kahlo both by feminist movements and the women’s art scene and even by mainstream media (i.e. companies, worldwide fashion brands, etc). I hesitate to call this “empowering” in the sense that there is often an alienation of the public regarding the polarized portrayals of such women artists, whose political ideas and artistic journey are to me even emptied of their deep contradictions and radicalness. How do you feel towards such a growing trend of uplifting History’s overlooked women artists, and do you think there is a way for feminists today to pay respect to their more honest memory meanwhile spreading knowledge about their artwork?

I see the capitalist fetishization of certain women artists certainly, like Frida Kahlo. There’s also a contemporary trend towards revisionism, to mould historical figures dishonestly to suit modern ideas and ideologies. Both are robbing people of their true legacy. While it is extremely important to highlight those who have had their histories supressed, I think we have to act with great respect to the known facts and context.

5. When it comes to the contemporary women art scene, in which ways do you think the art world and business have gotten better for us and in which ways does it still have to radically improve and evolve?

Capitalism can commodify anything and ‘women artists’ as a fashionable product is no different. I would like to say that all is fine for women now, but many of the specific oppressive conditions women have faced in the artworld and beyond, still exist.  I do see attempts to address certain issues such as gallery representation for example, but still so far to go. I think things need to improve in the whole of society, as art isn’t separate from the rest of culture, obviously. Women, however, are continuing to create amazing artworks, never the less.

6. Do you feel like there have been any major changes in what’s more often represented and the ways in which it is represented when it comes to contemporary women’s art in comparison to more traditional women’s artwork? Is there a kind of trans-historical alliance linking such diverse artist through their different backgrounds, cultural upbringings and time lapses?

Yes, in Western terms, the scope of women’s artwork has widened as women’s roles have evolved and expanded. There are still genres to which women are more or less connected. There are still recurring themes relating to women’s lives, in the private realm while the public realm still struggles to offer female artistic recognition. As I said earlier, I do find definite links between the work of women globally and historically which conveys a certain shared experience unique to women.

7. Finally, I would like to ask you about your personal favorites – who are the women artists who have more profoundly shaped your approach to womanhood, feminist resistance, art consumption and creation?

I’m inspired by too many women to mention, not just the famous ones, but often women who just want to be creative in whatever way they can and whatever way is accessible to them. The resourceful ones, the fighters, those who don’t take no for no answer…I have much respect for them all.

I hope that answers your questions.

Interview with Priya-Alika Elias, writer and cultural critic living in India

This is the English version of the interview with Priya-Alika Elias (here's the link to the interview in Spanish).

Priya-Alika Elias (Twitter) is a writer and cultural critic who lives in India. She is interested in finding new ways to think about feminism, race, and social justice. What do we owe to each other? What is wrong with romantic relationships today? How can men be better, and how can brown women get free? These are some of the things she finds most important. A former defense lawyer, Priya is deeply concerned with the nature of inequality in the world - in all shapes and sizes.

1. I have been following you on social media for years and I've always thought that your insight on romantic relationships and men's -especially white men's- entitlement and general behaviour was a really necessary one, since naming the main issue going wrong in our love lives -which is to me patriarchal socialization- allows us to move forward and start changing what we take for granted and what we've been educated to just accept. Regarding this, what do you think women and men ought to change in order for our romantic relationships to be healthier for both of us, but especially for us women? What do you think is the main issue when it comes to men's ways of relating to the women in their lives and how they treat their romantic partners?

The main issue that men seem to have in relationships stems from the patriarchy – they don’t seem to think of women as people. They don’t support women enough, they don’t listen, they don’t accept that women are just as complex and needy as men. Instead, they treat their girlfriends and partners as free therapists/caregivers. “My girlfriend is always there for me, that’s what I love most about her” – well, your love shouldn’t be based on what she can do for you!

Men and women both have to change. Women must challenge the assumption that their purpose is to find a romantic relationship (so they can stop settling), and men have to unlearn the toxic messages they have been fed about women, (so they can treat their partners better).

2. As I already said, I think patriarchal socialization is at the core of most of the unhealthy and oppressive dynamics at play when it comes to romantic relationships. I'm especially interested in understanding the ways in which men internalize behaviour patterns and values in a patriarchal society - in what ways do you think most men grow up to become more entitled, selfish and careless than their partners?

Men (especially in the S. Asian context I come from) are coddled from birth. Even as they grow older, they are protected from the consequences of their actions (‘boys will be boys’). They are encouraged to be selfish and to prioritise their careers (when was the last time a man was asked how he balanced career and family?)

When you’re raised to be selfish, and taught that the world owes you respect, that naturally manifests in your relationships. I find that straight men are so unwilling to sacrifice for their women. They expect their partners to change to accommodate them, but are unwilling to put in any work beyond the bare minimum of domestic work & splitting the bills. And of course, they undervalue women’s work around the house/childrearing. They have not been made aware how difficult it can be to be a housewife, or to be a mother!

Life Size (2000).

3. But gender and patriarchal socialization are far from the only thing keeping people from living more fulfilling and healthier lives, especially when it comes to romantic relationships. Like you said, how can brown women get free? If, in Audre Lorde's own words, "I am not free while any woman is unfree, even when her shackles are very different from my own", what is the key for a truly intersectional, collective fight for liberation from patriarchy and white supremacy, as in what do you think are the crucial needs for brown women's liberation nowadays and how do you think white people, both men and women, can support you?

As an Indian woman, I am very tired of white people’s faux concern about Indian women. Brown women know our own lives, our own struggles and shackles. We must be free to speak on them, without white people trying to play savior. As always, a good white ally is one who listens and who asks ‘How can I support you? Let me use my resources to amplify your voice."

How can brown women get free? We must be freed of the weight of other people’s expectations. Brown women must not endure abuse, rape, domestic violence, and harassment in silence. Brown women are not the gatekeepers of the family’s honour!

Every day, young boys and girls are taught that brown women must be XYZ. That burden is deadly, and that burden must be erased. The only way forward that I can see is to educate. Educate our girl children so they can free themselves.

4. Then, as a lesbian, it worries me to witness the way such key discussions of romantic relationships and love life in today's society are so often heteronormative at best. I too am concerned with inequality in the world in all shapes and sizes - do you think mainstream feminism today leaves out the issues marginalized women can face, such as racialized misogyny, lesbophobia or biphobia...? Why, and how can we better our own movements in order for all oppressed women to truly feel welcome in organizations and mobilizations?

Yes, this is a concern of mine as well. I’m guilty of this too, sadly. We are deeply bound by mainstream feminism, and often forget that it does not fit everybody. Straight white women wearing pink pussy hats should not and must not be the face of the movement. (It is interesting that the names associated with the #MeToo movement are women like Rose McGowan and Asia Argento, instead of the black woman who founded it, Tarana Burke.)

I’m tired of what seems to be endless discussions about “unequal division emotional labour in cishet relationships.” Those concerns are real, yes, but they are not the only – or even the most pressing- ones!

We have to make space for marginalized people within our feminism. We have to remember that lesbians are also oppressed by men. Just because they don’t date men, doesn’t mean that they are free of men’s bullshit! I think we need to talk more about non-romantic relationships, and how misogyny manifests in those. More importantly, we need to let other people speak instead of taking up too much room ourselves.

5. When it comes to the portrayal of Indian society and culture in mainstream media, the way imperialist nations often display images and news about alarming rape statistics there can feel patronizing to me - it doesn't feel like a call for action to organize as women everywhere, it doesn't feel like raising awareness on violence against women anywhere, but it does sometimes feel like carrying on racist, imperialist stereotypes of "violent brown men" in "uncivilized societies" assaulting women who "need saving". Which do you think are the key issues women and men need to work through in Indian society in order to thrive and unlearn patriarchal violences, and how do you think we can call for solidarity everywhere without slipping into colonial portrayals of such society?

India has a rape problem, but I am often hesitant to say so because – as you point out – it feels like I’m feeding into a global, racist stereotype about brown men. The truth is that everywhere has a rape problem, doesn’t it? One might say that in India, it is particularly bad because of social frameworks (not because of brown men being more disposed to rape). White people can express solidarity with us without patronizing or infantilizing us. Support Indian women without speaking over them, and don’t ask racist questions about why Indian men are so beastly. (The West has its own particular rape culture – take sexual violence at frat parties, for instance.)

In India, brown women (especially those who are less privileged) are actually shamed for having been raped. This is why so many women who have been raped hang themselves. The shame and the stigma that is routinely deployed against Indian women – why were you out late, you must have been asking for it, were you a virgin beforehand- is a powerful tool of silencing women. Indian men need to condemn victim blaming mindsets whenever they encounter it (men will listen to other men before they listen to women.)

As for Indian women, I think mothers are quite often guilty of letting their sons get away with harassment and worse. That needs to stop, immediately. Don’t raise your sons with double standards.

The best and most effective long-term solution to end patriarchal violence within Indian society would be to raise boy and girl children together. Teach men from an early age that women are just the same as them – women are not objects for you to offload your sexual desire or frustrated entitlement on to.

Wounded Deer - Frida Kahlo (1946).

6. You're both a writer and a cultural critic - I'm guessing you're familiar both with mainstream media's biased portrayals of marginalized communities and with more recent cultural displays of alternative representation for marginalized communities in media. When it comes to new shows, movies or makeup and fashion brands providing more diverse representation and sometimes even anti-racist, feminist, LGTBI-friendly messages, why do you think we're witnessing such a change in advertising and cultural politics? And what do you think we should ask for when it comes to media portrayals of marginalized communities now that it seems that it's in enough to actually listen to us?

I joke that companies have figured out that it’s cool to be woke. I do think that’s true, though. For instance, Hollywood producers will drop Scarlett Johansson from a role where she plays a POC – if enough people talk about boycotting the movie on social media.

For the first time, these powerful corporations are being exposed to the voices of the masses. Well, not for the first time, but social media has certainly caused a huge uptick in their exposure to popular opinion. They know to release more shades in their makeup range, so that more brown and black women will buy it.

But I think that’s not enough! We need to keep holding them accountable, and make sure they put their money where their mouth is. If a clothing company says they’re making plus sizes, we have to ask ‘How many?’ Because adding a measly two sizes to their existing line won’t cut it. If a movie touts its diverse cast, we need to ask ‘Well, why is it the only one?’ We can’t stop pushing for representation just yet.

Take Crazy Rich Asians – so many people have praised that movie for being the first of its kind. But how many people does it actually represent?

7. Finally - I'd love to know more about your writing journey! How did you first start writing, and why do you think you've kept doing it? Who are the people that inspire you the most when it comes to creativity and culture? And what would your advice be for younger writers out there?

I guess I’ve always been a writer! I was scribbling stories and poems in my parents’ office notebooks as soon as I learned to write. But I never thought I could actually BE a writer fulltime- writing was something I did on the side, whether it was blogging or simply writing a funny Facebook status. It’s like an itch- impossible to cure really.

I didn’t write professionally until Twitter. Through Twitter, I met editors who wanted to publish my pieces, and that’s when I realized – hey, I might actually be able to do this for a living. Living the dream!

The people who inspire me the most – gosh, there are so many. I really admire anyone who has a strong voice, a voice that comes through clearly in their art. Like Phoebe Waller-Bridge, who is so good at writing sardonic, dark women. I love creators like Michaela Coel, who is screamingly funny and so completely original on shows like Chewing Gum. Anybody who’s out there writing honest, unrepentant, complicated women is inspiring to me.

The best piece of advice I can give to young writers is to keep trying out different things. Keep pushing yourself and get the word on the page – an idea is useless until you have a draft. Every single writer that you admire has tons of awful drafts in their desk drawers! It will take you some time to get to where you want to be, so try and cultivate a thick skin and a bulldozer work ethic.

(Oh, and PS- number your drafts. Trust me on this.)

lutte collective, by and for disabled and chronically ill artists

Hayley Cranberry and her dog Greta (Dana Kim).

This is the English version of the interview with Hayley Cranberry, founder and curator at lutte collective, a space for disabled and chronically ill women and non binary artists (here's the link to the interview in Spanish).

1. As a mad woman myself, I've often felt so lonely & like nobody would understand my struggle. Coming across Lutte Collective's Instagram profile really gave me hope & a sense of community. What made you think of setting up this collective? How have people reacted to Lutte's online presence?

i’ve always been an internet person, finding different communities online with people i could befriend and relate to. the platforms continue to change, but the concept of community generally stays the same. first it was livejournal, myspace, tumblr, and now instagram is popular. i wanted to create a space that i hadn’t seen exist yet: one that was for artists like me, that also have disabilities and chronic illnesses. i felt like i kept seeing a lot of instagram communities popping up here and there, but they were mostly for “cool girls” and it often feels like having a disability isn’t “cool” or romanticized like other things on the internet are. so i wanted to make a community that was open for any woman or non-binary artist with a disability or chronic illness, no matter if they look cool or hip. i wanted it to be as inclusive as possible, as well, and i am still working on making sure that happens as our community grows.

having a sense of community online when you’re going through something that no one in your real life can relate to is incredibly healing. i had never met anyone that was similar to me, a female artist with IBD, until i started lutte. i’ve found that no one really talks about chronically shitting their pants until you talk about it first. so i started talking.

2. The collective's main focus is showcasing art by disabled + chronically ill women + non-binary artists. What role do you think creativity plays in the lives of those of us who are disabled + chronically ill? What have been the main obstacles when creating artwork that focuses on disabilities?

financing illness (kyle howard-rose, 2017).
(fabric scraps, embroidery hoop, red and black thread, blood dyed white thread.)

well, i cannot speak for everyone, because i am not the face of lutte. lutte is fat women, black women, trans women, sick women, queer women, queer femme non-binary people. so i cannot answer the role that creativity plays in their lives. i am a white cis chronically ill woman.

for myself, creativity has always been an outlet for me. i have a lot of journals from when i was very sick and it was all very new at ages 14-16, where i created words and phrases that helped me heal. i have one page in a journal that is fabric and magazine cut outs that just says DISEASE. and this helped me, because i was able to see my pain on the page. for me, art often says what i don’t know about myself yet.

and my art doesn’t necessarily focus on my disability. i only have one ongoing project right now that does. and many featured artists on lutte do not make art solely about their disability/illness. that is not required!

3. Again, Lutte focuses on women + non-binary artists. What made you choose to prioritize the artwork by those victimized by patriarchy? What role do you think disabled + chronically ill men play when it comes to disability artwork & activism?

i mostly just wanted to make this space as safe as possible. men are for sure included in the disability community as well as the disabled artists’ community. we have many male followers. i personally would rather highlight and give a platform to the voices of women and non-binary artists who are often left out of the art community in general.

standing idly in istanbul (romy cole-roth, 2018).
(oil. texta, pastel pencil, pen on aquarelle cotton sheet.)

4. I found out about Lutte Collective via the Internet, but I'd like to know whether you are also focusing on street activism, or if you plan to do so. As someone who is disabled by my mental health issues, it's sometimes hard for me to go out & attend marches or community meet ups, so I understand the essential role online communities play when it comes to disabled + chronically ill folks engaging in political activism - but I still believe it's necessary to get together with neighbours and friends to fight violence & oppression, reinforcing local resistance. What are your thoughts on this? I also believe Internet politics & activism can sometimes be too self-centred or for quick consumption & admiration, but do you think online activism is still worth it?

lutte right now is all online. in the future i’d really like to have events, but it might take some time for our following to grow a bit more.

i understand your hesitance with marches and meet ups. i am personally very fatigued and have attended some protests, but not many recently. i get overwhelmed in crowds and in NYC they are very, very overwhelming. johanna hedva wrote a piece called ‘sick woman theory,’ in mask mag that discusses activism when you can’t even get out of bed. online activism is great for that - if you have the money to donate to a cause, do that. if you have the ability to donate money from a percentage of your art, do that. call politicians and leave messages. write emails. sign petitions. there are a lot of able-bodied people in the world that can protest physically, and they should. in my opinion, one of the more radical things you can do under capitalism is “nothing” (ie, produce no capital)-- so quit your job and take care of your body.

5. I sometimes feel like us disabled + chronically ill folks keep throwing each other under the bus instead of organizing together against ableism - i.e. crazy/mentally ill folks claiming those who are phisically disabled get more attention & care from society. How do you think we can move forward from the "oppression Olympics" to community organization?

support system (carolyn lazard).

hmm, i don’t know if i agree! it seems to me like all disabled people are generally not taken care of by society unless they are wealthy and/or white (at least in the USA). really what needs to happen is that we need single-payer healthcare / medicare for all in the US, so all people can be covered and be able to take care of themselves, whether it is medical, mental illness, addiction, or anything else. until then, we have to focus on the most marginalized people: black women, (black) trans women, (black trans) disabled women.

6. In the age of "empowerment" & "representation", I often feel like we're thanking corporations & mainstream media for minimal efforts (that, in the end, they actually do for money) - instead of fighting for liberation for all, which to me implies fighting economic neoliberalism & realizing big companies don't actually benefit those who they claim to "represent" in their advertising, be it LGTBI people, women, people of color or even those of us who are disabled. What are your thoughts on this? Do you think people disabled politics are less radical now than years ago, or are things getting better?

nothing is radical when a corporation does it. unless the money from capitalism is handed directly to an organization that is using it to take direct action, it is useless in my opinion. great, we have nordstrom in rainbow and we know they support LGBTQ+ people, so now nordstrom can get more business from that community. but what are they doing for that community? nothing that i know of. basically, nothing is radical under capitalism, nothing is radical when it’s for a profit.

i don’t know if things are “getting better” or not - it’s hard for me to say. it seems there’s been a lot of articles about disability representation and mental illness representation, but the average person is still ableist and throws around the “r” word as a slur.

untitled 3 from series 'mom' (erica press, 2016).

7. In the end, I'd like to ask you about the role of caregivers when it comes to disabled + chronically ill liberation. Lots of us disabled folks need essential help from those around us not just to thrive, but also to survive - but then it's often caregivers who mistreat & even murder disabled folks. Why do you think this keeps happenning? Is there a way for disabled folks & our caregivers to bond over the difficulties & the exhaustion & keep fighting for better community care in society?

caregivers are extremely important to people who rely on them. to me, mistreatment of another human all comes back to 3 things: 1) the caregiver’s inability to receive healthcare/treatment for their own mental illness, 2) racism/homophobia/ transmisogynoir/ transmisogyny, etc. , and 3) capitalism, because they don’t feel like their wage is worth the trouble.