What types of structural violence do lesbians face? This is one of the key questions addressed by the exhibition “Lesbophobia. Patriarchal violence, what’s beyond the curtain”, being held at the LGBTI Centre in Barcelona from 12 April to 16 July.
This is a project devised by Lara M. Pascual, Azahara Fuentes and Irene C. Matamala for the organisation Creación Positiva, with the support of Barcelona City Council and the Department for Equality of the Government of Catalonia. Based on a collective creation process, creators and participants highlight the different types of violence resulting from the economic, social and ideological system of the cisheteropatriarchy.
Through artistic techniques like photography, videography and collages, the exhibition invites attendees to take a tour of the different individual and collective experiences that generate a joint narrative. Visitors will explore a number of exhibition areas that enter into dialogue with each other and which cover aspects such as the foundations of Western culture and the structural origin of the lesbophobia and gender violence that occurs in intimate or family spaces.
The exhibition also looks at phenomena such as discriminatory language, desire which goes beyond established lines and the struggles of functional diversity activism which denounces ableism. It also pays homage to mutual support and resistance networks.
“Lesbophobia. Patriarchal violence, what’s beyond the curtain” opens on 15 April at 6.00 pm, with a round table moderated by Montse Pineda Lorenzo, coordinator of Political Impact at Creación Positiva. The three creators of the exhibition will be taking part, alongside Maria Luisa García Berrocal, Assistance coordinator at Creación Positiva, the Deputy Mayor of Social Rights, Global Justice and Feminisms, Laura Pérez Castaño, and the General Manager of Equality of the Government of Catalonia, Mireia Mata i Solsona. The event can be followed online via YouTube and will feature a Catalan sign-language interpreting service.
A shared creation process
Lara, Txiki and Irene are the creators of “Lesbophobia. Patriarchal violence, what’s beyond the curtain”. All three have worked in the field of the social and solidarity economy, creating audiovisual material through workshops for children, young people and professionals where they generate spaces for reflection, self-representation and power beyond the hegemonic and normative codes.
Lara Mazagatos Pascual planted the seeds of this project. She is a photographer and, for many years, she has been portraying activist movements based in Barcelona. For her part, Azahara (Txiki) Fuentes Varón has extensive experience in experimentation through image. She has produced a number of documentaries. She also researches and creates using artisan photographic techniques.
Lastly, Irene Colell Matamala is a photographer. She is currently studying Process-Oriented Psychology in order to move into the field of support and facilitation through artistic and creative channels.
Creación Positiva
Since 2001, Creación Positiva has been working from a rights-based gender and intersectional feminisim perspective, to bring about real and positive change in people’s lives and in society in general. To achieve this aim, it develops various assistance programmes, undertakes awareness-raising, training and political impact initiatives.
The key aim of each of the organisation’s initiatives is to make the right to sexual health and the right to live free from violence a reality. Creación Positiva is a member of numerous community networks and participation platforms, which include the Comitè Primer de Desembre, Xarxa de Dones per la Salut, Plataforma CEDAW Catalunya, Wide+ and Women’s Major Group. It is also a member of the Womens’ Council and the Municipal LGTBI Council, among others.