5 questions to a member of the FATart team: Pauline Della Bianca
1- How did you get to know FATart?
After finishing my Master's degree in Art History in London, specializing in European feminist art, I decided to return to my home country. I wanted to continue my journey in the Swiss art world. I searched for associations and institutions explicitly dedicated to women artists and that's how I discovered FATart. I contacted Ursina, a few days later we met and since then it has not let me go. After a year of volunteering for the association, since April 2020 I have the great pleasure and privilege to be employed part-time as an artistic director and project coordinator.
2- What is your role at FATart?
In addition to curatorial and coordinatorial management, I actively contribute with my expertise as an art historian. With a lot of heart and soul, I have made it my mission to give female artists the attention they deserve. There are so many women artists in the art world who get too little attention and that should change immediately. To do that, I like to read feminist art history books; that way I can connect theory to practice.
3- Why are you a feminist?
Feminism is part of my identity. I'm originally from Valais and grew up in a Catholic family where gender roles were predetermined. Feminism allowed me to develop a critical spirit, to find the strength, solidarity and tools to leave the religion I grew up in and proudly define myself as a lesbian woman. Feminism is not an option in my life. Feminism is a toolbox that any person, male, female or non-binary, can use to become a better version of themselves.
4- What do you do when you're not working for FATart?
I am an activist for feminist, climate, and LGBTQ+ causes. I regularly participate in demonstrations. The energy that you feel on the streets when a group of people are fighting for the same cause is incomparable. These meetings are an important balance for me to my work at FATart, which often takes place behind a computer and with few contacts. I have also been involved in roller derby, a contact sport on roller skates, that I have been playing for six years. In roller derby, all players choose a roller derby name, mine is Katana. You can find information about my wonderful team on Facebook on the page "zurichcityrollerderby".
5- If you had a magic wand for FLINT in art - what would you wish for?
My utopian feminist wish is that gender becomes obsolete; that we completely deconstruct this social construct and it no longer plays a role in our society and everyday life. However, I probably won't live to see that vision in my lifetime. And until we reach this utopia, gender is a reality that cannot be ignored, as gender discrimination is based on the binarity of gender. In Switzerland, solo exhibitions by female artists were 15% in 2019 (Swissinfo). It is no secret that we live in a sexist and patriarchal society. But I'm tired of the unfounded excuses why there are fewer female artists. Museums, art institutions, associations, off-spaces, galleries need to exhibit at least 50% FLINT. Art history also needs to be rewritten to include FLINT and always be revised.
Image ©Rolynn