Women’s empowerment means different things to different people, but to us women, it generally stands for three things: equality, the power to make our own choices and the opportunity to make said choices. From March 8th to March 10th, an international feminist exhibition will showcase an incredible number of sublime works that channel women’s empowerment, created by 40 artists from all around the globe. The show is curated by Creative Debuts and Nasty Women Exhibition in New York, in association with Nasty Women campaign in North East England,  London, Lisbon and other European cities.

Nasty Women Exhibition – Empowerment will open on the International Women’s Day; Calum Hall, the co-founder of Creative Debuts, stated: “Empowerment is calling for greater diversity in arts and accelerating gender equality.”

Artists: Chewon Kim (left) and Naomi Vona 

Creative Debuts will welcome artists from faraway countries such as Iran, New Zealand, USA, Nigeria, Greece, Sweden and South Korea, along with a few local, UK artists. It will be an event to remember! The public will be able to admire not only excellent photography and fine arts, but also digital arts, crafts, ceramics and sculptures. What is even more noteworthy is that part of the money, raised at the exhibition, will be donated to End Violence Against Women Coalition, to safeguard women’s rights around the globe.

Highlights include:

• Los Angeles-based L ila  Ash’s  digitally illustrated comic series are inspired by true stories, based on the people who identify with the #MeToo movement that anonymously submitted the stories to her via social media.
• British Iranian artist Sanya Torkmorad-Jo zav i’sAcid Attack aims to put a spotlight on her experiences and fears of living in London due to the increasing reports of attacks towards Muslims, the threat of ISIS, and Brexit referendum, enforced due to her appearance. By using performance art, Sanya wants to capture these repeated acts of violence by solidifying the verbal and physical experiences that Muslim women in particular are subjected to. The photograph is of Sanya in traditional Iranian clothing, with splashes of white paint to represent the men behind these unprovoked acid attacks.
• Viagra Vuitton (Timothy Martin) is a drag artist exploring the spectrum of gender and art through documentary-style photography. She herself values her nastiness, and strives to be a feminine icon, showcasing all the best and dirtiest aspects of the Femme Fatale. VIAGRA is purely based on narcissism – she hates to go unnoticed and adores herself, believing she is the star of any show, and this is how every woman should see herself. Putting loyalty to their sisters above all.
• The Sustain Series by London-based Helena Cardow is a series of photographs that captures a conceptual collection of garments, tackling a range of themes, shot in the streets of Lagos. The Condom Dress highlights issues around safe sex and the HIV crisis in Africa, The TV Dress tackles the e-waste and recycling issues created by modern societies, and The Magazine Dress is fashioned from the discarded pages of consumerism. Often marginalised in society, the black female models are celebrated and captured as the Critical Cover girl.
• Pal Kumar was intrigued and inspired by the intricate, almost conflicting relationship between the stillness of realism and the dynamics of movement. In his hyper-realistic drawing My Grandmother’s Nature, he focuses on celebrating his family by drawing his grandmother who impacted his artistic journey. (source: Creative Debuts)

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Helena Cardow

Empowerment is a preview to The Anti Art Fair that will take place on 4 – 7 October 2018. If you are in London between 8th and 10th of March 2018, make sure to pop in to Shoreditch and support this incredible event!

Empowerment will take place at 7-11pm on 8 – 10 March, Black & White Building, 7 Rivington Street, London, EC2A 3AY. Tickets start at £5.86 and include entry, a goodie bag, and a charity donation to End Violence Against Women Coalition. Buy tickets 

All photos courtesy of the artists and Creative Debuts

Opening times

7 – 11pm

Thursday 8 March 2018

Friday 9 March 2018

Saturday 10 March 2018

Last year’s exhibition: