NO EXCUSE: Not just an exhibition

An exhibition responding to the topic of misogyny has opened in Swansea marking the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women and the start of 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence.

NO EXCUSE is described as ‘a group show and beyond’ and features works of mixed media, painting and collage by Welsh artists dinahvagina, Rosie Scribblah and The RAD Collective. But they say it’s not just an exhibition of artworks.

Over the coming weeks, the artists say they will be building interest and engagement on social media and using videos and QR codes to take the artworks beyond a gallery setting before ending with a “Closing Event” at the venue early in the New Year.

Event curator, Swansea-born artist Rosie Scribblah has created a series of acrylic paintings on paper in a Pop Art style, called TRIPLES, that are loosely based on the concept of the ancient Celtic Trinity of Goddesses, sometimes called The Morrigan.

She said: “My reaction to misogyny is to promote sisterhood, women sticking together and supporting each other”.

“There is a tradition in the UK of women coming together to achieve progress, from the Suffragettes campaigning for the vote, to the grass roots creation of women’s domestic violence refuges, taking collective action. It reminds me of this ancient Celtic motif of multiple goddesses pulling together.”

Femicide

dinahvagina is a multi media artist living and working in Wales. She said: “My work centres on a woman’s life, it speaks of both the bliss and the pain. Ranging from fun, interactive installations to impactful great books, printed work, ceramics and textiles”.

Dinah says her work in the NO EXCUSE exhibition relates to femicide and is based on the life and tragic death of the Cuban American artist, Ana Mendietta who fell to her death on 8th September 1985.

Her new husband, the artist Carl Andre was tried for her murder but acquitted on Feb. 11, 1988, due to lack of evidence following witness statement suppression and a nonjury trial.

The RAD Collective describes itself as a newly formed collective of working-class creatives in South Wales and includes visual artists and writers who choose to work anonymously, employing the motto “The first rule of the RAD Collective is you do not talk about the RAD Collective!”.

Members of the Collective share ideas, resources, materials and concepts. Their three works in this exhibition are collages built up from screenprints, photocopies, stencils and text – all linked to QR codes which explain the meaning behind each work.

16 Days

The United Nations annual international campaign “The 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence” starts on 25 November, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, and runs until 10 December, which is Human Rights Day.

The campaign was started by activists at the inauguration of the Women’s Global Leadership Institute in 1991.

In 2008, in support of this civil society initiative, the United Nations Secretary-General launched the campaign UNITE by 2030 to End Violence against Women, which runs parallel to the 16 Days of Activism.

Every year, the UNITE Campaign focuses on a specific theme and this year’s is “UNITE! Invest to prevent violence against women and girls”. 

The campaign says it aims to encourage people to share the actions they are taking to create a world free from violence towards women, and also calls on governments worldwide to share how they are investing in gender-based violence prevention.

NO EXCUSE runs from November 25^th 2023 to February 2^nd 2024 at Cinema & Co.ffee, 17 Castle Street, Swansea SA1 1JF, 07305 908260

More about the United Nation’s #NoExcuse campaign can be found here.