Call for Submissions: Virtual Exhibition

In commemoration of Kashmiri women’s resistance day and as a part of ZW’s commitment to bringing attention to Kashmiri women’s struggles, we are pleased to announce our forthcoming project titled, ‘Women’s Resistance in Kashmir’. This project is in collaboration with the International Women’s Alliance and will culminate in a virtual art exhibition and a panel discussion.

This project invites works of art from Kashmiri women that consider questions about, but not limited to, gender, society, culture, history, politics, power, the structures of violence, militarism, and Kashmir. The recent surge of interest and the hyper-visibility of ‘Kashmir’ within online spaces has brought to fore many possibilities of engagement with issues that affect the daily life of Kashmiris. This is why we turn to these spaces and use them to platform Kashmiri women’s voices and narratives.

Our aim is to propose a shift from the stereotypical and simplistic representations of women that are often grounded in victimhood. Whilst we duly recognise the conditions that generate such representations, we also aim to set in motion nuanced discussions of what comprises women’s experiences in Kashmir, ranging from resistance to resilience, and beyond. This could range from personal to public matters- all of which are inherently political. We are form agonistic and encourage women to think critically and outside the box.

Therefore, you are welcome to work in any preferred medium – painting, drawing, photography, collage, sculpture, embroidery, woodworking, mixed media, etc. We encourage artists to create a new piece for this exhibit but you can use an existing piece as well. Each piece will be accompanied by a short written or recorded statement by the artist. Artists have the choice of using their names and social media handles or staying anonymous to the public.

The solicited contributions will be curated according to the aforementioned criteria and the selected works that demonstrate women’s resistance in its varied and powerful forms will then form a part of an online art installation supported by the International Women’s Alliance.

If you are interested in participating, please send your CV, portfolio and a statement of interest (300-500 words) to editor@zanaanwanaan.com by 10^th March, 2021. Your statement of interest should include but need not be limited to the following components:

A brief background – Tell us a bit about yourself and why you are interested in participating in this project.
An artist statement – Where do you draw inspiration or guidance as an artist? Why do you make art? What artistic mediums do you use?
What do you want others to know about women’s resistance in Kashmir? Let us know about any Kashmiri women you admire or stories of resistance that have shaped you.
Art Submission – Describe the piece that you would like to create for the exhibit and how you think it would contribute to a wider conversation of women’s resistance in Kashmir. Your ideas may shift once you start working on the piece but share your ideas or inspiration for the piece. For women using an existing art piece, let us know the story of your piece and how it would make a powerful contribution to the exhibit.

Please note that your statement of interest will not be shared publicly and will only be available to event organizers.