
[EN]
The book Transnational Visual Activism for Women’s Reproductive Rights. My Body, My Choice edited by Basia Sliwinska (IHA – CASt RG) has just been published with Routledge.
Focusing on art practices that advocate, raise consciousness, and educate about the human right to reproductive health, this book analyses and compares forms of feminist artivism to interrogate bodily rights while closely examining the lived experiences of women and their right of free choice.
The transnational framing engages with resurgent imperialist and colonial ambitions across global politics and with the attempts at disrupting these positionings by prioritising feminist care as instrumental for democracy and social justice. Key foci of this book include the ways in which arts activism operates, and its strategies and methods related to, for example, the types of artistic practice employed, approaches to dissemination and reach, and engaging the public. The analysis of these topics interrogates the potential of arts activism to work while other forms of activism may stumble, leading social change in thinking, practice and, finally, legislation. Countries covered include Finland, Poland, Portugal, Latvia, the United Kingdom, Chile, Brazil, the United States, and Australia.
Among other chapter contributions the book includes texts by IHA researchers: an Introduction and a chapter ‘‘You Will Never Walk Alone’: The Feminist Contemporary Arts Activism of Marta Frej and Monika Drożyńska in Support of Reproductive Rights in Poland.’ authored by Basia Sliwinska; a chapter ‘Four Heads, One ‘Pussy’: The Struggle for Bodily Autonomy and Reproductive Rights in the Work of the Feminist Artist Collective ZOiNA.’ co-authored by Raquel Ermida and Bruno Marques; and a chapter ‘ ‘I Will Post About It’: Aleta Valente’s Production as Art Activism for Brazilian Reproductive Rights.’ co-authored by Thaynã Targa and Rachel Augusto.
The book will be of interest to students and scholars studying art history, art theory and practice, gender studies, and women’s studies.
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