"Make FATart obsolete" was our slogan five years ago, and we would indeed be obsolete if things were moving faster in the art world. Awareness of diversity and inclusion has increased, but even starting with equal rights for women, there is still a long way to go.
And that is why we will continue.
Photo: FATart Fair 2021.
When out-groups, including women represented by FATart, are criticized by in-groups, the goal is always to prevent rebellion against the status quo. This criticism is often internalized by and reproduced among the out-groups.
That's why, five years after the network was founded, women still ask me why I work for FATart. Why shouldn't I work for FATart? Should men only work for male-led organizations? When I co-founded maenner.ch, men asked why such a thing was necessary. Why isn't it important for men to talk to each other about being men? In In-Groups, the representation of men in important positions is, of course, not an issue.... However, the representation of women in important positions is a concern.
Why shouldn't women create their own platforms until they are no longer excluded from men's platforms? I have always advocated transculturality, that is, finding out what we all have in common in order to build on that so that we can work better in the difficult places. FATart is a step in that direction and will be redundant when gender and cultural parity is the norm in the art world.
Until then, we will have to keep working.
Mark Damon Harvey, co-founder of FATart and intersectionality expert.
A few important facts:
So far, more than 400 artists have been able to actively use the international exhibition presentation platform FATart Fair. Many more benefit indirectly from our commitment.
Voluntary hours worked by the FATart team so far: 13'070.
Paid since 2019 is a 60% position (curatorial director and coordination).
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