SHER◊ES

Sheroes is a collaborative project bringing together UK and international artists, feminist organisations, charities and the general public. This is a platform for women* artists, allies and organisations to use their creative expression to give a voice to, and turn our eyes towards, silenced and overlooked heroines – sheroes – throughout herstory and visual art, and offer inspiring female role models for us all.

After having run gender-oriented workshops and visits in museums since 2012, we realised that there still is an important lack of female role models in society. As Jacquelyn Guderley, co-founder of the Stemettes group, said, “You can’t be what you can’t see, which is why including varied female role models across all subjects is of crucial importance.”

As a result, in March 2018 we hosted our first Sheroes installment, a collaborative project bringing together UK and international artists, feminist organisations, charities and the general public. We exhibited 26 artists, run 3 workshops, hosted 5 post-exhibition events and over 800 people benefited from it.

Sheroes now comprises social exhibitions, events, art workshops and museum talks that offer a unique opportunity for interaction and dialogue between the public and artists.

In these hard times of isolation, economic crisis and social distancing, we, more than ever, would like to support our community of sheroic artists while we explore other ways to bring our events to the public.

So, Lon-art’s social commitment and Sheroes’ art activism is back with a new initiative: ‘Sheroes in Quarantine’.

Sheroes in Quarantine will be an online exhibition here on our Sheroes website and on our social media channels dedicated to highlighting women’s issues and roles during the COVID-19 social crisis and contributing to positive changes in our society, as always, from a gender perspective. 

We strongly believe that now is the time to re-think our current societies and reinvent the way we live and interact with each other. We are in dire need of creative minds, activists and a sense of togetherness to be able to build a more sustainable society where nature, women and marginalised groups are respected and part of decision-making. 

Sheroes in Quarantine will showcase 14 women* artists and their respective 14 herstories; 14 reflections for the 14 days of quarantine needed to save lives, our health systems and our societies as a consequence. 

-Sheroes in quarantine:

• COVID-19 is highlighting inequalities like never before – what is the impact it is having on women? 

• Are women’s voices being heard and part of the decision-making process?

• What are the risks that the quarantine might pose to women?

-Ecofeminism: 

• Could COVID-19 be the final call we needed to build a new society? 

• Could ecofeminist principles be a useful tool to move towards a more sustainable and fair system that sees the end of the exploitation of women and natural resources, in ultimately putting Life before Capital?

-Highlighting hidden herstories: a tribute to women during COVID-19. Who are these hidden Sheroes? 

-Artists in Quarantine: what does it mean to be an artist in quarantine? 

Tell us about the impact that isolation is having on your creativity and practice; both the positives and the negatives. 

-Isolation: while isolation is key for saving lives, how does loneliness affect our lives and the way we communicate with each other?

THE LON-ART SHEROES MANIFESTO

We the undersigned believe:

1. Women have been silenced and stifled throughout history
2. Women in literature, art and beyond have traditionally been reduced to negative stereotypes and archetypes
3. Women’s true stories deserve to be brought to the fore
4. We have to do more to promote the diversity of positive role models in society, in terms of gender, ethnicity, sexuality, disability, social background and beyond
5. Sheroes should be an inspiration to everyone, regardless of gender
6. Sheroes don’t need to have been born into a ‘female’ body!
7. Collaboration is a form of sheroism: no room for egos – let’s work together and share the recognition
8. Strength and power come in different forms – women need referents for strength that are on their own terms, outside of patriarchy
9. Art is political and creative expression can contribute towards changes in society
10. Every month should be Women’s History Month!