Women – Art – Politics

An overview of the more
than twenty-year history of the City of Women Festival illustrates several
characteristics of the place and time of its activity while simultaneously the
festival itself has definitely had an impact on the social perception of gender
and the position of women in creative practices. The aim of the discussion
panel is to contextualise the process within a broader context of transition
and the emergence of “neo-traditionalism” on one hand and thematise the modes
of production, relations and creative practices in the current social reality.

The first aspect refers to the take on feminism, the reclamation of public
space and the views on women's issues, what social positions they should occupy
and their positioning in the fields of creative practices. In this respect, the
festival has had ups and downs both with regard to its programme as well as the
possibility to invite those female artists who would identify themselves as
feminist. The second aspect touches upon politicality in creative practices,
including the politicisation of the organisers which can in part also be attributed
to the festival's budget. The latter has increasingly determined the festival's
production, the working conditions of the festival staff and the festival's
positioning outside the mainstream. A historical overview shows that from the
initial dealing with gender-related topics, the artists shifted the focus to
their social situation, inequality and the impact of the ever growing market
orientation on their art practices. The panel will discuss both aspects with
women who have first-hand experience in this field either as activists,
theorists or artists. (Nina Kozinc, Vesna Leskošek)

Before the panel, there will
be a short presentation of the Journal
for the Critique of Science entitled City of Women.

Organisation: City of Women; In collaboration with: Journal for the Critique of Science, ZRC Atrium.

Free entrance.