PEER GROUP FOR TRANS, NON-BINARY AND GENDER NON-CONFORMING ARTISTS
12th of March 2020, at 5 - 7 pm,
This peer group is for trans-, non-binary, gender non-conforming and other non-cis-gendered people working in the arts. Also artists and other art workers questioning their gender are welcome! The group is organised due to a need for safer and non-cis-centered spaces for supporting each other; for sharing discussions around the struggles we face in the Finnish art field; and for finding ways to collectively affect these issues.
The group is organised by Feminist Culture House – an intersectional feminist organisation that works with and for underrepresented artists in Finland. More about FCH at www.feministculturehouse.org
The first meetings of the group in 2019 were facilitated by artist Ana Teo Ala-Ruona. With their lead and guidance we have gotten to know each other a little, shared experiences, read, written, discussed and also just hung out. This coming session we will choose a person from among our group to facilitate future sessions in 2020, and discuss different ways we wish to organise and meet. The current idea is to have a changing facilitator from within the group who takes care of a few sessions, and brings their expertise, ideas, ways of working, and wishes for the group’s running. This coming session will be facilitated by Orlan Ohtonen from Feminist Culture House.
You are welcome to join the group as a new or old member, and to take part in ways that feel good to you. You will not be asked to talk about your experiences more than you personally want to. The meetings are held in English, with Finnish translation provided if needed. If you have other translation needs, please contact Orlan and we will see if there is knowledge within the group for translation. You don't need to have any specific educational background as an artist, nor do you need to have any specific level of professionality in order to be able to join. Students are also welcome!
Please enroll / receive more info by sending an email to: orlan@feministculturehouse.org
There’s room for 20 people in each session. The places are limited due to a wish to keep the situation somewhat possible for everyone to have space to speak.
The peer group, together with Feminist Culture House, is currently funded by Kone Foundation.
THE SPACE
All participants are asked to adhere to the following safer space guidelines. A more detailed version will be presented for discussion at the beginning of the session.
* Respect others and their emotional and physical boundaries. Do not touch without asking first. Respect the answers you get.
* Do not make assumptions about others’ gender, sexual orientation, life situation, ethnicity, race, culture, religion, identity, health status, background etc. without them telling you about it.
* Respect and care for the shared space. Give space to others.
* Respect others’ opinions and points of view.
* Take responsibility for your actions and words.
Museum of Impossible Forms is a cultural space, located in Kontula, Helsinki. It is a contested Space and it represents a contact zone, a space of unlearning, formulating identity constructs, norm-critical consciousness and critical thinking. Impossible Forms are those that erase and facilitate the process of transgressing the boundaries/borders between art, politics, practice, theory, the artist and the spectator. For 2019-2020, Museum of Impossible Forms operates under the curatorial theme of ‘The Atlas of Lost Beliefs (For Insurgents, Citizens and Untitled Bodies)’.
Museum of Impossible Forms is a Safer Space. We follow a Safer Space policy to create a welcoming, inclusive, awesome environment.
Events at the Museum of Impossible Forms are completely free and accessible without prior booking. We encourage and invite you to participate/attend the ongoing events at the Museum of Impossible Forms to familiarise yourself and your group with the atmosphere, ethics, and ethos of the space.
Museum of Impossible Forms is accessible by lift with thresholds up to 4cm on the way. The toilet has no thresholds but is not spacious enough to meet accessibility standards. The nearest accessible toilet is located at Kontula metro station.
For directions, please refer to this Map.