12TH ARTFEMINE FESTIVAL
The 12th ArtFemine Festival was successfully held. We opened it with a discussion about the book Art and Culture of Resistance. The author, Milena Dragićević Šešić, was in conversation with Sara Plazinić Nikolić. They talked about how the book came to be, why it covers the 1990s in particular, as well as the cultural policy of our country, the relationship between state institutions and artists, alternative artistic spaces, strategies for cultural development, and contemporary art and culture of resistance.
An exhibition was opened with works created at the 10th Feminist Art Colony in Sićevo. This year’s exhibition was titled Sisterhood, after the work of last year’s participant, Nataša Tomić. The audience had the opportunity to see the artworks, listen to presentations by artist Sanja Solunac and Tatjana Nikolić, founder of the Center for Girls, as well as to read the excellent review by Bojana Fužinato Stamenković in the exhibition catalog. After several days, the exhibition moved from Art55 Gallery to the Center for Girls, where it will remain until October 11, the International Day of the Girl Child.
After the exhibition opening, the panel Art of Resistance took place. Panelists included Marija Srdić, activist of the civic movement BRAVO, Miroslava Nikolić, environmental activist and project coordinator at POLEKOL/Right to Water, and activists Adi Selman and Nedim Musić, initiators of the Carton Revolution. The panel was moderated by Marta Stanojević. The guests spoke about what drives their activism, how they entered the world of activism, the challenges they faced, how to overcome them and avoid burnout, as well as the struggles they are currently engaged in.
The following day, we screened the films Trumpeters by Gordana Ristić and Ramiz’s Summer by Dejan Kožul, followed by a discussion moderated by Marija Virijević. Before the screenings, we joined activist Ramiz Berbić from Tuzla in a street action in the center of Niš. On that occasion, Ramiz wrote the message in salt: “NOT ONE WOMAN LESS, NOT ONE MORE DEAD.”
The festival was also enriched by two workshops – Self-Gaze: A Performative Photo Workshop without Mirrors by Smiljka Jovanović, and a drumming workshop by Women Drummers from the Street, led by Marija Nikolić. In the photo workshop, participants explored themselves through the camera – without mirrors, filters, or seeing the results until the end. Through creative tasks, they reflected on how they are shaped by the male gaze and the female gaze. In the drumming workshop, participants learned the basics of drumming, expressed themselves through rhythm, and discovered the role of drums in activism and how drumming can be a form of resistance.
On Saturday, the play Ajša by Zoran Tairović was performed by Ajša Alić and Dragana Jovanović. The audience heard the story of Ajša’s great-grandmother and witnessed authentic portrayals of the lives of Roma women. The play addresses male violence against women, patriarchy, forced and child marriages, loss and death, the Holocaust, poverty and marginalization, as well as the Roma community’s struggle for a better position in society.
On the penultimate day of the festival, we performed an excerpt from the play Women’s Room and held a discussion with the audience. We received comments and suggestions that will be useful for the further development of the play, while also sharing our motivation for creating the play and the process so far.
We closed it with a street action, sending the message: “SEX WITHOUT CONSENT IS RAPE,” to draw attention to attempts to introduce the concept of “less severe rape” into the Criminal Code of the Republic of Serbia, despite the fact that penalties for rape are already too lenient and rarely imposed. Many passersby told us they were unaware that a public debate had even taken place, and some did not know that rape is any sexual act without consent, not only those involving physical force. Several women wrote all the messages on the banners, and more than ever, they wanted to participate in the action with us.
Festival was seen by 3.324 people.
You can see all the photos on our Facebook page.
Videos from festival watch on our Youtube channel.
We thank Reconstruction – Women’s Fund, OAK Foundation, and Trag Foundation for their support.
Thanks also to Media and Reform Center, Art55 Gallery, Labeerint, and the Student Cultural Center for their hospitality.
Photos by: Marija Virijević, Mina Stefanović, Sara Plazinić Nikolić, Dejan Kožul, and Luka Nićiforović, Nenad Cvetković Timba.
