BY NADRAT MAZRUI
The World Bank Art Exhibition on gender-based violence held at the Nairobi National Museum on July 28 at the Ecology Gallery was full of intriguing pieces. The exhibition was initially launched at the World Bank Headquarters in Washington DC in 2014. Thereafter, it has been held in Brazil, New York, Senegal, Germany, Indiana and it’s the first time to be held in Kenya, giving a chance to local artist to exhibit their creations. The art works depict women like me engaged in polite activities of self-healing. The fiercely precise and intelligent art acquired a deserved reputation for its silent soft depth. From an observant point of view the photographs and artwork left one fascinated by the intimate portrayal of private life.
‘Gender-based violence’ and ‘violence against women’ are terms that are often used interchangeably as most gender-based violence is inflicted by men on women and girls.
However, it is important to retain the ‘gender-based’ aspect of the concept as this highlights the fact that violence against women is an expression of power inequalities between women and men. Domestic violence is violent or aggressive behavior within the home, typically involving the violent abuse of a spouse or partner. It is a pattern of abusive behavior in any relationship that is used by one partner to gain or maintain power and control over another intimate partner. Domestic violence can be physical, sexual, emotional, economic, or psychological actions or threats of actions that influence another person. This includes any behaviors that intimidate, manipulate, humiliate, isolate, frighten, terrorize, coerce, threaten, blame, hurt, injure, or wound someone.
Over 30 pieces on view from six regions ranging from photographs, woodwork, mabati, paint on canvas, children’s drawings even to a flimsy bridal gown. Women who had undergone some sort of traumatic experience and were now in the stages of rehabilitation made the majority. The rest were pictures taken of people who are at the forefront of the fight against domestic and sexual gender based violence in Kenya seeing as Kenya was the host of the exhibition. Collectively, the works illustrate the cultural and economic harm caused by gender-based violence worldwide.
With plenty of space between each artwork, displaying a sense of individuality on a white wall in a bright religious light the artwork is architecturally displayed. The arrangement on itself was a work of art, which made a lot of sense ensuring that the pieces are not displayed in any manner of strength. Some of the pieces are interesting in their own way, through the use of local resources as this is the way they connect the exhibition to Africa as a large number of the pieces are international in nature.
The crowds descended well on this spectacular display, observers appeared to care passionately about the incidents that led to the making of the pieces, what they addressed and their ability to communicate the artists’ plight in a nonrepresentational visual language. The exhibition never lacks critical attention in the countries of display. Understanding the context within which to view these heart-wrenching pieces shed further light on their execution.
The exhibition gives a broad overview of the plight of women. The title 1 in 3 is symbolic to mean that one in every three women has undergone some sort of domestic or sexual gender based violence. The exhibition presents unfamiliar work that is nevertheless of such a high quality that one can see it again and again. Of particular interest is a piece titled GLASS WALL, by Marzieh Mohammadi of Iran. The artist grew up in an emotionally and physically abusive family. Her world had become so dark that she decided to run away. The dots in her photographs represent the joy so close by, while the glass represents a barrier that society has placed in front of her and which she needs to break through.
Surrounding the paintings of the older generational victims with victims of the younger age group reveals the way domestic and sexual violence affects different age groups in which the art flourished. It also adds a touch of poignancy to this retrospective. The recognition does not lessen the revelation that this is an ever-occurring global problem. Still, it is the children’s comments of hope that we treasure the most. The children used a range of blues to signal hope as well as shades of saffron red to indicate fear and their instilled trauma.
The paintings and portrait are sure to react to different viewing circumstances the way a concert is altered by its conductor. At the Nairobi National Museum the sensations of the artists rather than the colors swept over the viewers. It was as if your eyes saw the pictures and your heart perceived the emotions of the artists during creation. It was easier to focus on each individual picture. The works seemed less mysterious. Part of the excitement is seeing the moment when an artist dares to fully come to terms with herself.
The other part is sheer beauty.
It is hard to believe that such voluptuous work was made on the eve of a rehabilitative period of gray self hate, depression and cold loss of dignity. In Smokescreen, by Nilofar Pirjamali from Iran, we see Nilofar who grew up with an emotionally abusive mother who told her over and over that she was ugly and would encourage her brothers to rape their ugly sister. Finally running away from home at the age of 18, she still hides her face but is making great progress.
At the completion of one’s viewing you feel the artist’ pain and are brought to a shudder at the end of this long, arduous tale. I am sure the artists would be delighted that their plight is now the subject of all sorts of exhibitions devoted to their art and their cause. If you have time to research on any exhibition, this knee-buckling selection of paintings should be it. These are among my favorites but as to any showing, each observer connects differently to each piece, find the time to select yours.
