Shudders in the cradle

Procreation/Postcreation, Womanifesto 2003

Two days into this war and there’s no doubt whatsoever about the awesome amount and power of technology that has gone into putting on the world’s most expensive show of fire-works ever. But, unlike a celebration that ends in an exuberant letting off of pyrotechnics, which also can be translated as a grand gesture of money-burning in the end, this mega display will leave a significantly deeper mark on mankind. No joyful feelings and images to go home with. From computer controlled precision bombs and finely honed targets, to filmed replays and carefully edited footage, the use of sophisticated gadgets will construct first a situation and then provide imagery of the unfolding drama which will fill our TV screens for weeks to come. Welcome to wartime armchair viewing in the age of high technology. Most will watch but it seems that women are required to react in a premeditated way.

Amidst the “breaking” scenario of destruction and the chest-swelling machismo shown by participating heads of states and army chiefs of both sides, hardly any women are visible in the so-called decision making process. How are women who have had very little say required to essentially deal with direct consequences of the darker side of technological advances of our world today? Listening to the news on TV, women are eventually mentioned as “ the mothers of troops posted in the gulf need to be reassured of their safety”, “the mothers of your soldiers will shed tears of blood”. All of a sudden a gender specific reaction from women is being defined. Are fathers not supposed to be humanely and equally responsible and as emotionally engaged as the mothers? Or, is it that the men-folk are the deciders and strategic planers of conflict, a conflict in today’s world that surely requires one to be technologically able, both in terms of making and deploying arsenal. Does this then translate as women supposedly not being techno-savvy and therefore being the ones to feel and do the grieving?

As shudders intensify in this region that is deemed to be one of the cradles of civilization, what also comes into focus is how human creativity that is at the very core of our being, flourished to established the first civilized societies of the world. But, given the current situation it might not be possible for many to think of creativity. Furthermore, to talk about procreation might be regarded as being out of step or contradictory even. But it is imperative to do so now as at all times.

Womanifesto 2003’s project involves the collection and compilation of texts and images on the expansive theme of “Procreation/Postcreation” and these words and the issues that they contain, I would like for many to explore. To do this, I ask for creative handling of basic or high technology and traditional methods, inviting contributions from diverse sources. This is intelligence gathering and in many ways, it is computer technology that is being banked upon to bring the project together.

Influenced by world events and personal situations, the concept for this project had already started to take shape at the last event in 2001. As more and more artists – female and male, started to show interest, there was a need to broaden the event to allow participation of many. The idea was also to reach out to individuals and groups who were previously unknown to us. In making the project location free, a decision was made to use valuable resources, both in terms of organizing and financing, to have people send in contributions on the theme. This could then be published in the form of a book that could be compiled, edited and designed on a home computer and, easily distributed.

The last event, Womanifesto Workshop 2001, took the form of a community-based workshop on a remote farm in North-eastern Thailand. As far away from many mod cons that the mainly urbanized participants of the workshop were used to, the premise of the workshop was very much to interact with local craftspeople and explore the hand made, but it certainly did not end up being just about that. Within such pastoral surroundings and bountiful nature, complete with rainstorms, power failures, leaking huts and an array of creepy-crawlies, the participants presented their works at evening slide and video shows; we were connected with the world via mobile phones; photo developing and photocopiers were located in the nearest big village and, a video installation was filmed, edited and eventually installed in the farm’s chicken coop.

Avoiding the use of technology was not a requirement of the workshop and if it had been, it would have been hard to do so. Technology has crept into our lives, for better mostly, it’s just a matter of realizing to what extent. For many of us dealing with rapidly developing and changing technology has become part of our daily routine, in many ways transforming our lives. Well as many artists might not directly employ high technology in their artwork, at a basic level it certainly plays a major role in helping us gain and research information; communicate, network and interact with ease and speed, thus opening up the world as never before.

Conversing and keeping in touch in cyber-space has gone a long way where we are concerned. Womanifesto, a biannual event, continues to evolve as a result of a steadily growing network that initially began mainly via personal contact and friendship. A small group of 6 Thai artists, writers and activists first came together in 1995 at an exhibition titled Tradisexion and following a successful meet, the participants decided to establish an international event to reach out to a wider group of women. The first Womanifesto was subsequently held in 1997. It received broad media coverage and the event was hailed as a “new dimension”, bringing women’s art in Asia to the forefront. Womanifesto II held in 1999 in a public park incorporated an even larger number of Thai and international women artists, consolidating its foundation and providing another rare opportunity for interaction and gaining further recognition as a vital “meeting point” for women artists from around the world.

The current project, Procreation/Postcreation, is planned as an international publication and invites participation from artists and non-artists, male and female. Through the creative process of gathering and distributing the range of information around this theme, the aim is to extend our active network and encourage people to consider different points of views about issues that affect us all globally.

By exploring old and new myths and realities surrounding creation, we can reveal how these factors have influenced the thinking of societies in the past, today and will continue to do so into the future. Much of this data may be in danger of becoming lost or forgotten and replaced with the passing of time. Our aim is to gather current and past knowledge about the act of creation and its many interpretations, to initiate dialogue and create a stimulating document on fertility, developments in medicine, science and related technology, gender, sexuality, social and all related human issues.

The project to date has been publicized widely on the web. As a result, individuals and groups from all over, some we have had no prior contact with, are sending in their contribution. Many of the contributions are in the form of texts and images that are sent via email. Though no physical gathering is planned for this year, in relation to the outcome of this project we plan to organize a symposium to be held at a later date. In addition, we have inquiries from artists who wish to send in video and sound based works and, along with the symposium, we are considering exhibiting these at the next event scheduled for 2005.

In continuing to develop new spaces for representation, the fourth installment of Womanifesto also emphasizes openness, inviting submissions from everywhere and everybody and accepting both original and material from other sources; where individuals and groups, working with traditional methods or contemporary technological processes, can come together not only to express themselves but also to establish a platform, augmenting an even wider exchange.

Varsha Nair.
Bangkok, March 2003

Published in:
”Women, Art and Technology: Collected Essays. First International Women’s Art Festival Taiwan” by Kaohsiung Museum of Fine Arts.