Feminist art and the curator-activist -Alrey Batol

Dale Harding I Know My Place 2012

Addition 3 is the third instalment of West End ARI/Gallery Addition, guest curated by Lisa Bryan-Brown, featuring work by Dale Harding, Alice Lang, Dana Lawrie, Sancintya Simpson, Tyza Stewart, and Athena Thebus. The press release describes that Addition 3 aims to demonstrate “the broadness and variety of contemporary feminisms” and they have done just that.

Dana Lawrie Housed 2012

It's unfortunate that the works in Addition 3 are slightly overshadowed by the focus on having a feminist theme. On their own, they stand out particularly as exceptional works. From Sancintya Simpson's thoughtful video documents and Athena Thebus's personal ambitions and Alice Lang's and Dale Harding's hand crafted slogans. Dana Lawrie's figurative scenes and Tyza Stewart's aims of collapsing of gender binaries, are no doubt an expression of “contemporary feminisms” as traditionally, feminism relied on binaries and the curatorial stroke of connecting together works by artists that have admitted to having no identifiable Feminist influences or content was a bold challenge to not only conventional feminist discourse but to art sometimes having an incredulity to politics and activism.

Alice Lang Friendship Bracelet (Epic Fail) 2012

In the panel discussion I asked her to comment on the local and prominent curators who recommend objectivity and being neutral. She answered by agreeing to a comment I made about curators being essentially subjective; where there is a frame (mise en scéne), there is value-judgement. The frame in this case is the exhibition, Addition 3.

The collective works in this show begs the question, what is Feminism and feminist art? This may have been the curator's rationale; to foster a dialogue as opposed to the stale disinterested monologue that most galleries perpetuate. Take for instance the very political works by Dale Harding. His inclusion in the show maybe seen as unwarranted, however his position as an openly gay artist makes him closer to the feminist standpoint (art theorists call this 'otherness'), than the number of female artists in the show who hadn't identified with it before. “YOU HAVE ME AS AN ALLY”, one of his embroidered pieces as evidence.

It's not the first time Lisa Bryan Brown has included a male artist in a feminist exhibition. She had done so earlier this year in show 'Current' at POP Gallery in Woolloongabba.

This is exactly what makes this a positive review for Lisa's controversial hands-on approach. She is not a conventional curator. If the role of the curator is to stay relevant today, it has to be active.

Although this type of curatorial practice usually gravitates to one side, it is meant to. Just as activism ought to be. 

Panel discussion: from left, Leena Riethmuller, Lisa Bryan Brown,  Dana Lawrie, Tyza Stewart, Athena Thebus, Dale Harding.

For more photos and info on Addition 3, go to:  http://additiongallery.com/exhibitions/addition3
You can listen to the Addition 3 panel discussion here: Addition 3 Panel Discussion