“Pranto” exhibition will take place from January 28 to March 11 at Espaço Cultural Correios in Niterói, Brazil
Photographer and plastic artist Andrea Brêtas presents the exhibition “Pranto”, where she brings pictures of African women in four rooms of Espaço Cultural Correios Niterói RJ, in black and white, to raise awareness about violence against women, mainly about FGM – Mutilation Gentital Feminina, which, according to UNICEF, still victimizes millions of women and girls around the world and which, each year, affects about three million girls, before reaching the age of 15.
The exhibition does not feature colors because its objective is to provoke reactions and connections with the observer, but it visibly conveys the respect of Andréa Brêtas’ gaze and the excellence of Tartaglia Arte’s curatorship in choosing themes of socio-cultural impact and importance.
“Pranto” takes place between January 28 and March 11, 2023, not by chance. Since 2012, the date of February 6th has been adopted as the International Day of Zero Tolerance to Female Genital Mutilation, unanimously, in a vote of the United Nations General Assembly (Resolution 67/146). On March 8, we celebrate International Women’s Day. On both dates, Andréa Brêtas will be present for a guided tour and chat with other professionals to talk about the topic. Check out the interview!
By demonstrating through photography a very sensitive subject that is female genital mutilation, you ended up bringing a picture of one of the most committed forms of violence against women in the world. In the case of your work, how do you believe its impact on the population could be?
I sincerely hope that through the images and the approach to the theme I can make a large number of people aware of all the violence that women are still victims of today. Talking about FGM is remembering that in the 21st century, women suffer from dominance over their bodies and their sexuality.
Still talking about impacts, her work ends up transmitting a message of awareness about female genital mutilation, mainly between February 6th – International Day of Zero Tolerance to FGM – and March 8th – International Women’s Day. However, as much as unfortunately we still have not extinguished this violence, we are already surrounded by messages that preach awareness. What are the main differentials you have envisaged in using photography as a solution?
Through photography, a difference is made by believing in the power of visual language, in the impact of images, in understanding pain through the eyes, in documenting suffering with magnifying lenses.
In an article published in February 2015 on BBC News Brasil, journalist Ayca Abakan conducted a report with psychiatrist Sahika Yuksel, in Istanbul, who tried to understand how the mind of a rapist works and what led him to commit such violence. Being a person who is working with this type of subject, could you think of a probable solution for this problem in the world or understand the reason for the cases?
My study and consequently the images produced by me do not deal specifically with the topic of rape. I believe, however, that any type of violence needs a multidisciplinary team that embraces and deals with the complexity of the issue from its origin.
You even revealed that among the trips you’ve already made, Africa has become your favorite destination, so much so that your exhibition will present Namibia and Kenya with the aim of creating a setback between the eyes of women from each country. How has the mission been, in addition to passing on a super important message, also promoting this junction of cultures?
During my trips to Africa I never thought of fulfilling some kind of mission. My approaches arose from an intimate, particular and profound appeal about all the suffering that is still imposed on women. I like and appreciate the contrasts. I believe that differences, contrary to popular belief, end up bringing people and people together.
Different from Kenya, which according to his statement, the cases would be insane, a curiosity that he came to present, was that in Namibia, there would be no question of mutilation. Why do you think this crime happens en masse in some places, however, it doesn’t occur as a result in other regions of the world?
There are many arguments to justify Female Genital Mutilation. Some believe that the imprint is religious (although the practice is not described in any sacred text). Others claim to be cultural. Search for acceptance through morality and maintenance of good customs. There are understandings that could be political maneuvers to dominate the population according to the Egyptian activist Nawal Sadawi. What is observed is that in some countries the observance of the legal prohibition is fulfilled. In others not.
One of the stories that brought up the subject of female genital mutilation was the case of the Somali model Waris Dirie, who would have brought up the subject, hitherto unknown, in an interview for Marie Claire Magazine in 1996 and had her story narrated in the film ” Desert Flower” by director Sherry Hormann in 2009. In your opinion, was Waris Dirie a hero in serving as an example for women to expose and not be afraid to fight against FGM?
Waris Dirie made use of his projection and notoriety to draw attention to all the suffering that is imposed on women/girls in various communities around the world. It was, without a doubt, an act of courage and daring that helped expose such cruelty to the eyes of the world.
Not praising hatred or much less determining political sides, following only as a matter of opinion. Currently in Brazil, the crime of rape that results in serious bodily injury or in cases where the victim is between 14 and 18 years old, the prison sentence is around 8 to 14 years, and in case of death, from 12 to 30 years. . And considering that the death penalty is prohibited by the Brazilian Federal Constitution since the Proclamation of the Republic in 1889, except in cases of war. What is her opinion on the punishment that exists in relation to rape or the crime of female genital mutilation?
In fact, I have no personal opinion on the subject. I am a photographer with the ultimate goal of provoking discussion, echoing the cry of oppressed and invisible women. My job is to instigate, provoke, make people think about realities that society often tries to forget.
Although the photos do not bring colors due to the objective of provoking different reactions and interpretations by the observers, the work visibly brought his gaze on FGM. How much did producing this whole project really impact your life and the way you see the world?
The impact is brutal and inevitable. As a woman, she is not immune from the experience of full awareness of the enormous suffering to which millions of girls/women around the world are subjected. Being born a woman has to be pleasurable. Fighting for women who do not enjoy this pleasure is a duty for all of us.
In addition to you, Tartaglia Arte is involved in this exhibition, which in addition to curating it, also participated in choosing themes of socio-cultural impact and importance. What has it been like to work with them and what can the public expect from this exhibition?
It is gratifying and pleasurable to work with a curatorship of quality and competence. The public can expect an exhibition with striking images that will call the viewer to reflection.
In relation to this crime of female genital mutilation and rape, the image (and with reason, in many cases!) of male members as villains is very much in place. Do you believe that women, even suffering from all this, have to be careful not to impose a generalized prejudice against members of the opposite sex, even though the overwhelming majority of crimes have been committed by men?
Of course, there is no reason to generalize. It is not men who commit these atrocities, but a small part of them. Blaming the male sex for all the ills to which women are subjected would be extreme insanity.
As mutilation is a practice that affects more than 200 million women annually worldwide, with 29 million in Africa alone, I ask you – as a woman, do you really feel safe leaving home on a daily basis? What goes through your head when you know that millions of similar people of the same sex are present in statistics around the world?
Totally safe, no. Regardless, my freedom is complete. That’s a privilege. A privilege that should be granted to all. Knowing that millions of women do not enjoy the minimum of autonomy is extremely inhumane and unacceptable.
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