Luna
Gender equality issues have always been in the center of social relations questions between men and women. Education, culture were among the spheres that experienced discrimination most of all. It happened very rarely that a woman could become an artist. It was even more rare to become one and to continue to work, while having a child and a family. Nowadays women are not tied to domestic life and have plenty of opportunities to choose from. Nevertheless, they still experience a huge under-presentation in art sphere. According to the National Museum of Women in the Arts in New York just 11% of all acquisitions and 14% of exhibitions at 26 prominent American museums over the past decade were of work by female artists. The situation of under-representation influence the way women view their abilities. They underestimate themselves, what leads to a higher level of anxiety in consciousness and lower self-perceived competence. By taking visual adventure to the realm of myths and female mythological characters, goddesses and simple creatures, I try to find and underline what a creative woman needs to develop her psyche. Coming from Belarus, I took the Slavic region myths as the base for my work. The core of female strength and power is retrieved from the old wild woman, connected to the nature and myth. In old tales the all-encompassing presence of a woman is affirmed, appreciated and glorified. Each of the myth stands for one of the universal symbols such as fate, knowledge, motherhood, braveness, creativity, love, evil, power etc. Each of the portrait is to reflect contemporary issues related to women - body, job, self-identity, creativity etc. Overlooking the old slavic myths and its heroines I underline the qualities of women, declare their feelings and manifest grounds for self-confidence. Coming from the nature and past, linked to the contemporary status, women are to find the harmony in themselves and push communities to make steps toward social progress.












