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02

G3: genDeralities&work
The work on new artworks begins.

 

The issues at stake

 

It’s a binary world, in more ways than one. Do | Don’t. Can | Cannot. Us | Them. Good | Bad. Uniform | Diverse. Touchable | Untouchable. Moral | Immoral. Abled | Disabled. Safe | Unsafe.

A web of polarities holds us in, particularly as women, trans*, queer and other marginalised folks who may or may not conform to these binaries, affecting us in complex ways that we live and breathe and are often compelled to speak about. How we experience and understand the forces around us. How we navigate and negotiate the spaces we find ourselves placed in. How we push against the threads of conservatism and control. And sometimes, how we break down trying to find our way out.

Because the cords that hold us down today have the steely strength of patriarchal, heterosexist, regressive and misogynistic values tempered over time, even if they sometimes seem to be spun of silk. The binaries are perennially at work. Defining, undermining, restraining, and often determining who we are and can be, how we express ourselves, who we desire, what we believe and, most certainly, what we do.

Doing. It’s yet another complex ground of contestation, whether we follow or break away from gendered notions of work or traditional means of livelihoods. We may choose occupations understood to be at odds with our biological and chosen gender identities. We may confront or ignore inequalities and prejudice in our workspaces. We may be able to break glass ceilings or never be allowed to reach them. We may be privileged in our work or disadvantaged due to our caste, class, race, community or sexuality. We may have many dreams unfulfilled, and desires forever placed on hold. Or so much we wish we never had to do. We may have so much in common with each other, and so many different experiences.

Exploring the nuances of the inherently gendered nature of our labour, the visible and invisible work that we, as women, queer and trans* folks are engaged in, the roles we are expected to fulfil or are prohibited from, as against what we may want to do, need to do are our new cohort of selected artists. Let us stand with them as they give voice to their diverse, varied, and layered lived experiences. Let us be patient spectators as they devise ways to use their bodies and minds, words and images, sounds and silences, rage and humour to talk about gender and work through their 13 amazing projects.

For the moment to question, to create and to deliberate is now.

The g3: genderalities & work fellowships are partially supported by Goethe-Institut / Max Mueller Bhavan, New Delhi.

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