The Violence Against Women (VAW) Art Map was conceived in the fall of 2018, in the wake of the #MeToo movement by Lauren Stetz, a Ph.D. candidate in Art Education with a minor in at Penn State University. Inspired by the globality of the hashtag movement, Stetz became fascinated by its unique manifestations in different geographic locations, questioning how the universal language of hashtags interacts with complex histories of oppression. Drawing from transnational and intersectional feminisms, Stetz queries the nuances of violence across borders, boundaries, and identity.
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The VAW Art Map can be used to visualize connections between artists globally, highlighting themes such as vulnerability, shame and victim-blaming, and law and government. The VAW Art
The Coalition
A Transnational Community of Artists Addressing Violence Against Women
This gallery features artists around the world, across race, ethnicity, gender, age, and socioeconomic class, who address violence against women (VAW) through their work. Many artists are survivors of various modes of VAW, including harassment, domestic violence (including physical, emotional, and financial abuse), human trafficking, and sexual assault. While all artists address VAW, their narratives vary, highlighting thier unique intersectional experiences within their cultural, and political settings.
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Humans and Ropes by Shiva Parham, (2010), Painting, Tehran, Iran.