archive FY2020 ARCHIVE

[Application project]
The Clothesline

[Applicant]
Our Clothesline with Mónica Mayer

[Subsidy] 50万円

[Overview]
The Clothesline is an artwork presented by Mexican feminist artist Mónica Mayer in 1978. This participatory artwork allows participants to fill out small questionnaire sheets and hang them on clotheslines installed in the exhibition space, and also a socially engaged artwork to visualize the changes in social and personal consciousness and issues that have not been prioritized in the region or time.
Through this work, Mónica Mayer questions various social issues such as harassment, exclusion, experiences of discrimination, and sexual violence, with an emphasis on violence and discrimination against women.
The artwork was first exhibited in Japan at the Aichi Triennale 2019 (hereafter the Triennale) in Aichi Prefecture in 2019 and has since been shown throughout Japan.
“Our Clothesline with Mónica Mayer” is an organization that supports the implementation of The Clothesline by Mónica Mayer in Japan.

[Held / Implemented / Announced]

From WomEnpowered International’s website

●El tendedero /The Clothesline with WomEnpowered International - WE Int.

July 31 (Fri), 2020 6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.

<Number of participants>Approx. 30

<Venue>Online (Zoom) (Organizer: WomEnpowered International*)

*……WomEnpowered International is engaged in various activities aiming to achieve women's empowerment and gender equality in Japan.

●The Clothesline with mimosas

October 2 (Fri), 2020, 10:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m.

<Number of participants>Approx. 100 people

<Venue>IWAI OMOTESANDO (Jingumae, Tokyo) (Organizer: mimosas*)

*……mimosas is a group of lawyers, clinical psychologists, and other professionals who provide "necessary and correct information" about sexual assault.

From WomEnpowered International’s website

●The Clothesline in Kariya

January 19 (Mon) - 24 (Sun), 2021 <Number of participants> Approx. 290

<Venue> KARIYA Cultural Center Iris Exhibition Room A, B, C (Aichi) (Organizers: Kariya City, Kariya City Board of Education, KARIYA Cultural Center (KCSN Joint Venture))

●Video streaming on YouTube

Number of videos: ......21

<Number of interviewees>10

from the channel “Our Clothesline with Mónica Mayer” on YouTube

●Flower Demo and International Women’s Day Workshop

March 7 (Sun) - March 8 (Mon), 2021

<Venues>Matsumoto Station (Matsumoto, Nagano), Fountain of Hope in Hisaya-Odori Park (Nagoya), online (Organized by Flower Demo Matsumoto, Flower Demo Nagoya, and others)

Group photo from Flower Demo Nagoya (February, 2021)

[Outcome]

●El tendedero /The Clothesline with WomEnpowered International - WE Int.The workshop was held online and included a lecture by Mónica Mayer, a lecture by a member of Our Clothesline on the implementation of The Clothesline in Japan, and a conversation among participants about harassment and sexual violence.

●The Clothesline with mimosas

Unlike the Trienniale and The Clothesline at Sophia University, the theme was set as empowerment for victims of sexual violence, and the question was narrowed down to only one: “What would you like to say to yourself (or a family member or acquaintance) who has suffered sexual harassment/violence?” An example of a response = “You are not alone. So don't hold it alone. Don't be sad. There are many allies all over the world.” A talk was also held as part of the “To Love Me and You” event, with more than 100 participants.

Even at the beginning of the exhibition, when the number of responses was low yet, many visitors were seen shedding tears or reading the answers for a long time, deeply moved by the messages. This exhibition also made it clear that the exhibition could cause “harm to visitors and participants.” It taught us the necessity to keep in mind that descriptions of sexual violence and sexual victimization may remind one of their traumatic memory or cause PTSD and flashbacks.

Installation view of “The Clothesline with mimosas”

●The Clothesline in Kariya

In November 2020, the Japan Women’s Conference took place in Kariya City, raising its citizens’ awareness and will about promoting women’s empowerment and gender equality within the city.

In preparation for this edition of “The Clothesline,” Mónica Mayer proposed it should “be about Covid-19.” Thus, a series of online workshops started in October with new questions to highlight issues regarding sexism newly caused or revealed by Covid-19. The process of identifying the issues was unexpectedly difficult, and the workshop was held five times for a total of more than six hours of discussion.

Prior to the event, responses were solicited online, and collaboration was requested at the Japan Women's Conference in November. In addition, interviews and introductory videos were produced and distributed on YouTube, and online promotion was developed in collaboration with the Embassy of Mexico in Japan and the Politas TV, led by journalist Daisuke Tsuda.

●Video streaming on YouTube

After our activities at the Trienniale, we felt the necessity to make The Clothesline known more widely and exhibit the artwork one more time. In order to continue the project under the quasi-emergency measures or emergency measures, we put our focus on online activities. We opened our YouTube channel to produce and stream videos explaining The Clothesline, and interviews where those involved in this project shared their experiences of The Clothesline.

First, we asked Mónica Mayer to explain The Clothesline and talk about its development in Japan, as well as feminism and feminist art.

We also conducted an interview with the artist unit Kyun-Chome, who is a unit that organized the project “Y/Our Freedom” borrowing the concept of The Clothesline as part of “Re:Freedom_Aich.” “Y/Our Freedom” was held as an action to reopen the exhibition at the Triennale, and Kyun-Chome facilitated the event in front of the doors with he members of “Our Clothesline.”

The Clothesline at Sophia University was organized in parallel with various other events, such as the Empowerment March with Tomorrow Girls Troop and a workshop with the Embassy of Mexico in Japan.

●International Women’s Day and Flower Demo

The Clothesline has repeatedly been organized since July 2019 at the Flower Demo, which began in April 2019 aiming to eliminate sexual violence. The Flower Demo started in protest of the acquittal in multiple sexual violence trials conducted in March 2019. It has spread to 47 prefectures and continues as of March 2021. While taking the form of a demonstration, its themes and methodology are connected to those of The Clothesline.

“The Clothesline” was held at Flower Demo Matsumoto in Matsumoto City, Nagano Prefecture on March 7, 2021, and an exhibition of The Clothesline alone was also presented from March 20. Although “Our Clothesline” participates as a collaborator, most of the exhibitions are planned and held solely by the organizers, and this will be a good example of a voluntary exhibition by someone who has been influenced by The Clothesline.

Group photo from Flower Demo Nagoya (March, 2021)

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[Related Sites]

Our Clothesline with Mónica Mayer

https://www.ourclothesline.com/

WomEnpowered International “El Tendedero Campaign” 

https://www.womenpoweredint.org/eltendedero

The Clothesline with mimosas

https://mimosas1002.peatix.com/?lang=ja

The Clothesline in Kariya

https://kariya.hall-info.jp/event/other/20210119.html

「The Clothesline/ Our Clothesline with Mónica Mayer」（YouTube）

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCThHRQ20l-9569S5wpqmcTg/featured