MANIFEST Yourself! (Queer) Feminist Manifestos since the Suffragettes

Artists: Ouassila Arras, Rufina Bazlova, Lynda Benglis, Monica Bonvicini, Lizzie Borden, Andrea Bowers, Janet Burchill/Jennifer McCamley, Ulrike Flaig, Ceal Floyer, FRZNTE/Kolbeinn Hugi, Regina José Galindo, Guerrilla Girls, Holzinger/Sahihi, Bojana S. Knežević/Katarina Petrović (Femkanje), LASTESIS x Pussy Riot, Signe Pierce/Alli Coates, Tabita Rezaire, Marinella Senatore, Beth Stephens/Annie Sprinkle, VNS Matrix, Del LaGrace Volcano, and Billie Zangewa

“We will never be quiet again.” –Suffragettes
“Use the F-word. Be a feminist.” –Guerrilla Girls

MANIFEST Yourself! is an appeal and an empowering hymn to the (queer) feminist manifesto as an integral part of an ongoing protest culture and medium of expression frequently used in contemporary art and culture. The exhibition aims to demonstrate the unabated vitality of (queer) feminist manifesto culture since the suffragettes and reflects its variegated, sometimes contradictory aspects. It surveys different cultural contexts, periods of creation and media. For the very first time, it includes manifestos in the form of texts, sculptural objects, installations, soundtracks, videos and performances, as well as documents on the history of (queer) feminist manifestos by women*, trans and non-binary people. Numerous manifestos will be made accessible in a research lounge and in the publication accompanying the exhibition, including texts by Valeria Schulte-Fischedick, Rita Laura Segato, and Luise von Nobbe as well as statements by Lynda Benglis and VNS Matrix. The cooperation partners alpha nova & galerie futura, re.act.feminism e.V., the Academic Network of Eastern Europe e.V. as well as Elena Zanichelli (Mariann Steegmann Institut | Kunst & Gender) and students of the University of Bremen are planning the presentation of their own projects in dialogue with the exhibition theme. On the opening night (November 17, 7pm), the artists FRZNTE and luïza luz will realize a Pole Sound Performance developed for the exhibition project.

Curated by Valeria Schulte-Fischedick
Assistant Curator: Luise von Nobbe

Press contact: Maximilian Rauschenbach

With kind support of the State of Berlin—Senate Department for Culture and Europe and LOTTO-Stiftung Berlin.