FEMME: Challenging The Status Quo

After months of anticipation and nerves, with the venue going back and forth with wether the latest Covid-19 related regulations and restrictions would allow for us to host our long anticipated exibithion we were con desember 5th able to host a virtual opening of our first ever exhibition titled "FEMME: Challenging the Status Quo".

The exhibition is a consolidation of the work of three young, female, artists. In their own individual way, they all focus on the female role, the stereotypes that comes with it. Whether it is the embodiment of being biracial, the feeling of coexisting between two cultures or the need to carry our uniqueness with pride. Hosted by Afryea Collective, the exhibition raises the question of equality, diversity, gender norms and empowerment. It showcase work by female artist of female bodies, expressing what they see femininity as embodying.

About The Artists:

Kaari Nautuli is a Kenyan-Norwegian artist who currently lives in Trondheim.

The theme of Kaari's collection is "Biracial".

This is a feminine collection that is inspired by the biracial embodiment—an interpretation of the biracial female.

Kaari paints because she loves colour. In the artists' own words:

"I struggle to express myself with words, art speaks where words are unable to explain. It intrigues me how a piece of art can silently speak a thousand words.

The process excites me, from a blank canvas, following the journey of colours and shapes from chaos to beauty."

Sandra Øverdal grew up in the rural place of Roan, and she has always been fond of painting.

Her series «Stolt» Means Pride in Norwegian and is a series of paintings inspired by the differences and uniqueness of women. Throughout history, women have had to try their best to fit into what has been considered the perfect ideal.

How can we expect everyone to fit into the same ideal when no one is the

same?

Everyone has something unique about them which should be carried with «Pride».

Theresa Elise is a Norwegian-Ghanaian artist.

Her first series Mujeres Coloridas includes digital prints and pieces of oil on canvas – some of the pieces co-painted with 20year-old Anna Dagestad.

The inspiration for the the second series, Odo Nnyew Fie Kwan, purely consists of digital prints.

The series is inspired by her Ghanaian roots and the Adinkra symbol with the same name "Odo Nnyew Fie Kwan" Interpreted to mean, "Those who are led by love always end up in the right place". The symbol is considered by the Akan people of Ghana to symbolize love and union.

Afryea Collective was founded with the intention of promoting and lifting the work of female artists. The arts industry is one, of many, where the work of females is valued less than the work of men. "As in many other professions, women are misrepresented in the arts, too. Over half of the visual artists in the world are women, yet they earn far less than men. And, when it comes to the world’s top 100 artists – ranked by sales – only two women made the list." It is no coincidence that the exhibition is hosted at the first feminist house in any Nordic country this century. The house is a space for organisations that encompass the notion of female empowerment to meet, organise and discuss how to move forward in the fight to break down gender norms and achieve equality. In coming together we are stronger and better equipped in working towards changing the statistics above.

The exhibition will be open until January 2021 - either physically or virtually.