Feminist Art Fest

Exchange 2020

Prying Eyes

Oil on wood panel

2020

"Prying Eyes" is a painting that delves into the pervasive theme of female objectification, drawing visual inspiration from the work of Iraqi artist Hayv Kahraman. The intention behind this piece is to unveil the historical sexualization and exploitation of the female body through the lens of the male gaze, while also examining the role of clothing in this context.

Coming from a third-world country like Pakistan, where women are incessantly told that their choice of clothing is the primary factor behind harassment, molestation, or rape, this artwork serves as a powerful response to challenge such a damaging ideology. It aims to illustrate that irrespective of a woman's attire—whether fully dressed or nude—her body should not be viewed as a vessel for male sexual gratification, symbolized by the eyes in the background. This visual representation underscores the crucial idea that a woman's choice of clothing is not a justification for reprehensible acts of sexual assault. It emphatically communicates that predators will act on their urges regardless of the victims' attire, shifting the focus from clothing choices and victim-blaming to addressing the root causes of such behaviors.

About the Event:

The Feminist Art Fest, which ran from March 1st to March 14th, was an event that brought together interdisciplinary artists to explore feminist issues through exhibitions, screenings, performances, readings, and dialogue.

This year's event was hosted by OCAD University, and a student show for the festival was installed on the fourth floor in 100 McCaul from February 23rd to March 8th.

The Canadian Women's Foundation celebrated International Women’s Day with The Exchange: Conversations to Inspire Change. The Foundation approached OCADU about including student work from the FAC Festival at their annual fundraising luncheon, and eight artists from the student show were selected to install and display their work during the event. One thousand guests were in attendance, engaging with the artists and their work

Socials:

Hayv Kahraman: @hayvkahraman

Feminist Art Collective: @torontofac

Canadian Women’s Foundation : The Exchange 2020