Thu 4/26-Sat 4/28
WOMEN ON THE MOVE is 26-ft truck transformed into a mobile billboard and resource center to aid in the prevention of sexual assault, harassment and domestic violence. This public art project is a creation from the artist collaborative LOUDER THAN WORDS, founded by S.A. Bachman and Neda Moridpour. It will be touring the Cleveland area Thursday-Saturday, the weekend of 4/26-28.
LOUDER THAN WORDS is a cross-cultural, intergenerational art collective that targets violence against women, sexual harassment, human trafficking, women’s reproductive health, women’s immigration and homophobia. By combining activism with courageous art interventions their intention is to make visible the experiences of women that are often dismissed. Their art strives to ignite civic dialogue and generate innovative strategies for prevention and education.
“My collaborator and I began working on WOMEN ON THE MOVE in 2013, long before #MeToo,” says Cleveland native and artist S.A. Bachman. “My desire to bring the project to Cleveland allows me to come full circle. During my childhood in the 1960s, the few brave women who attempted to speak out about sexual assault and domestic violence were swiftly silenced. Not only do I refuse to be silenced, but WOMEN ON THE MOVE’s strategy is to make monumental the experiences of women that are still all too often minimized.”
The billboards highlight the particular challenges faced by those whose experiences are the most marginalized: those who fear reporting due to retaliation, fraught relationships with law enforcement, stigma, or fear of detention and deportation. WOMEN ON THE MOVE extends beyond the confines of traditional classrooms and museums to interrupt the visual landscape by traversing the city before stopping at schools, parks and other public spaces where people congregate.
At each scheduled visit (see below for locations), volunteers will engage people in conversation about the issues while offering free artist-designed posters that focus on victim blaming and why people are reluctant are report. Participants will have access to a resource center with videos, oral histories, informational brochures and artworks that address the definition of consensual sex, how to prevent blaming the victim, strategies to engage men and dismantling rape culture.
“Center for Arts-Inspired Learning is so pleased to be involved in such an important project for our time,” shares Marsha Dobrzynski, executive director at Center for Arts-Inspired Learning. “Sexual assault and domestic violence touch all of us, male and female, young and old. By partnering with WOMEN ON THE MOVE and the Cleveland Rape Crisis Center, we will be helping to bring this message to high school students in a multimedia format that engages and educates them,” Marsha continues. “This is the generation that is so important in leading change.”
S.A. Bachman recruits art in the service of public address while examining the ways capitalism and misogyny conspire to jeopardize women and the outnumbered. Her work exposes the insidiousness of sexism, white privilege and conformity. Neda Moridpour is a socially engaged feminist artist, advocate and educator. Born and raised in Iran, S.A. has a strong awareness of gender discrimination, inequality and censorship permeates Moridpour’s methods and philosophy.
The truck is scheduled to visit these following locations:
The Center for Arts-Inspired Learning’s ArtWorks Program, Cuyahoga Community College,
Thu 4/26 @ 4:30-6:30pm
The Cleveland High School for Digital Arts
Thu 4/26 @ 11am-1:30pm
Case Western Reserve University
Fri 4/27 @ 11am-3pm
Cleveland Rape Crisis Center’s Girls in Motion Program at Forest Hills Presbyterian Church
Sat 4/28 @ 9am-4pm
This project is free and open to the public in the specified locations. WOMEN ON THE MOVE is in collaboration with the #NOTGUILTY Campaign and Ione Wells.
[Written By Kendall Embrescia-Hridel]
Cuyahoga Community College Metro Campus, 2900 Community College Ave, Cleveland, OH 44115-3123
Cleveland, OH 44114
Cleveland, OH 44106
Cleveland Heights, OH 44118