MILAN – One day a year should not be enough to remind us how important it is to fight against violence against women. But November 25 is an opportunity to stop and reflect on how much there is still to be done to stop this madness, and to remember all the women who have fought throughout history to have their rights prevail and have justice. On this very important day, we have decided to talk to you about art as a means of fighting violence. From an article on the Inspirewetrust.com site , here are some artists who, through their works, have taken sides against violence against women: Regina Jose Galindo’s knife
This Guatemalan artist used her body as a medium to express her thoughts on the crimes committed against women in her home country. In 2014 the PAC (Pavilion of contemporary art in Milan) hosted her performance entitled “Estoy Viva” (I’m alive) in which she talked about violence against women. But Regina Jose Galindo is known above all for the performance of her “Perra” (“bitch” or “whore” from the Spanish) which in 2005 made people think and pushed many people to take a closer look at the issue of violence against women. The artist engraved the word “perra” on her skin with a knife, to protest with her own body against the violence suffered by the women of Guatemala. Jo Squillo’s wall of dolls
In 2014 a wall in Milan was transformed into a work of art thanks to an idea by Jo Squillo and WeWorld Intervita. The artist wanted to protest against violence against women by hanging many dolls on the wall, as a symbol of childhood and solidarity between women. Many artists and stylists took part in this project by adding their doll to the wall in via De Amicis. Here are some shocking data from WeWorld Intervita:
“WORLDWIDE 130 million women have suffered genital mutilation. 1 in 5 women has been a victim of physical or sexual violence.
IN SOME COUNTRIES rape by husbands is still legal and brutality against women is a normal cultural component.
IN AMERICA, a woman is attacked every 15 seconds, often by her spouse.
IN EUROPE 62 million women – 1 in 3 – are victims of ill-treatment.
IN ITALY 1 million women have been abused and many are no longer there. ” Elina Chauvet’s red shoes
One morning in November 2012 the city of Milan found itself covered in red women’s shoes. All those who were passing by the Columns of San Lorenzo to go to work were speechless when they realized that the gray of the street had turned red from the shoes. The creator of this initiative is the Mexican artist Elina Chauvet who brought her “Zapatos Rojos” all over the world to tell the violence suffered by women in her country. Each pair of shoes represents a woman killed or missing and a defeat for our humanity.The murals of Panmela CastroThe Brazilian artist has decided to tell the violence suffered by women through Street Art. His art is recognized worldwide, not only for the importance of the messages it transmits but also for its great ability. Her graffiti, large in size and characterized by bright colors, represent women with sad eyes and suffering gaze, an effective and immediate way to express the pain of the victims of abuse and violence and raise awareness in their country to such an important issue. Elvan Ozkavruk Adanir and Jovita Sakalauskaite Kurnaz t-shirts
The two Turkish artists have decided to reinterpret the ancient tradition of “talismanic shirts” in a feminine key. These garments were in fact worn in Ottoman culture as a symbol of protection for warriors during battles. With the project “Denial od Fear and Despair; Talismanic Shirts “(the refusal of fear and despair: talismanic shirts), the artists have given women victims of violence a symbolic protection that, through embroidered T-shirts, allows attention to be drawn to this important issue that very often is neglected or ignored. Erik Ravelo Do
you remember the “Unhate” advertising campaign for the Benetton Group which depicted various political figures kissing on the mouth
They were the work of the controversial Cuban artist Erik Ravelo, who, a few years later, returned to talk about himself with the social campaign “End violence against women” in collaboration with the Chinese photographer Shek Po Kwan. The images of the campaign, which has as its main theme the protest against rape, were considered “too scandalous” so much so that the artist was censored on Facebook. Ravelo’s protests were not long in coming: “Because in social networks we find every day images that incite sexism, racism and violence and the publication of photographs aimed at raising public awareness on a delicate and important issue such as mutilation is prevented feminine
” The paintings of Alberto Penagos
The Mexican artist has created a collection of paintings entitled “Violence Against Women”. The works show painful and suffering women who are able to convey, through their expressions and their looks, a sense of unease and helplessness in the face of wickedness and violence. The plates of Lise Bjorne Linnert
The Norwegian artist has given life to the project “Desconocida / Unknown / Ukjent” (in Italian “Unknown”), in which every woman who wishes to participate undertakes to embroider two cloth plates, one with the name of one of the murdered victims in the Mexican city of Ciudad Juarez and the other with the word “unknown”, written in his native language. A way to remember all the women victims of violence. The photographs of Patricia Evans
the American artist has collected 25 photographs that portray her after suffering the sexual assault that changed her life. The title of the photographic collection, cold and impersonal like a police report, and very strong: ”Hidden in the radiant green, a man waits. In hate-blinded hands, darkness waits “. “Hidden in the shining green, a man waits. With his hands blinded by hatred, he awaits darkness ”. Patricia Evans currently collects the faces and testimonies of victims of sexual assaults in the collection “ The Voices and Faces Project “. Flavia Carvalho’s tattoos
The Brazilian tattoo artist makes free tattoos for victims of violence to cover their scars. A tattoo is not enough to forget suffering, but it is a way to remember that through pain we become stronger and we must never be afraid to fight.
Photo credit: Pinterest
