Author: Raffia

The fragile ghost of disability: Jannick Deslauriers’ recreation of the wheelchair as fibre art

by Nanette Ashby
On an August day in 2022, I walked through the doors of the Montréal Museum of Fine Arts, stepping into the modern entrance hall filled with eager visitors. After a morning exploring the city, I could feel the symptoms of my chronic illness flaring up which made standing in line increasingly painful. This was my first trip since my diagnosis two years ago and I was still coming to terms with the new limitations of my body.

Reading is resistance! Book review – Mornings in Jenin by Susan Abulhawa

by Sorina Bularca
Reading has always been one of my ways to revolt against this fast-paced world. A cup of coffee, some fuzzy peaches (the flat kind), a big cup of water and 50 pages later, I am disconnected from the horror that my room is a mess, and that I should probably be studying. Usually, I like to tell myself that all this reading is going to transform me into a very well-versed person, but the truth is that I still stutter when I try to talk, and I still find it extremely hard to make sentences in which I don’t make grammar mistakes. However, I will not stop.

Pioneering Women claiming Power in Art Museums across Europe with Laia Anguix Vilches – Culturally Curious Ep.8

In this episode, Nanette Ashby is joined by Dr Laia Anguix Vilches. She is a postdoctoral researcher at Radboud University. Between art history and gender studies, her research revolves around the first women in positions of power and influence in art museums across Europe. Together, we discuss the ins and outs of this project, the importance of historical contexts, political environments, and the advancement of women’s rights.

Queer Joy as a Pedagogical Tool in the “Heartstopper” TV-series

by Jonathan Veenhuijsen

In times of growing intolerance regarding LGBTQ+ individuals, positive forms of media put queer hearts at ease by employing queer representation. A recent example of this is TV-series Heartstopper, based on Alice Oseman’s graphic novels.

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Work at Universities with Dr Rona Jualla van Oudenhoven – Culturally Curious Ep.7

In this episode, Nanette Ashby is joined by Dr. Rona Jualla van Oudenhoven. From 2020 to 2023, she was the Chief Diversity Officer at Radboud University and Program Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. We discuss the ins and outs of what this job entails. Including meeting with students or staff members to listen to their demands, complaints or issues and the process of finding ways to implement long lasting improvements.

Murdering Clothes: Addressing Feminicide in Teresa Margolles’ Cimbra Formwork 

by Rosa Floris
In her 2006 conceptual artwork Cimbra Formwork, Teresa Margolles incorporates real clothes from women who were victims of gendered violence and feminicide in Ciudad Juárez. She is thereby responding to the phenomenon of feminicide, but what exactly does her artwork communicate?

Amsterdam’s Red Light District from a Sex Worker’s perspective with Nat Portnoy – Culturally Curious Ep.6

In this episode, Nanette Ashby takes you with her to the Prostitution Information Center in Amsterdam. It is located in the heart of the Red light district next to the Oude Kerk or Old Church. I have the pleasure of interviewing Nat Portnoy, a multidisciplinary artist, activist, performer, filmmaker and sex worker.

Gender and cities – How Europe’s Global Cities produce class inequalities between women

by Ava Wood
The woman and the city is a topic of increasing importance, and one which, to me, exemplifies the pervasive nature of the patriarchy, as well as the new and changing ways in which it presents itself. Particularly, with increased globalisation, the phenomenon of the global city is one that requires our attention.

Italy’s Dark Side: The Unseen War on Women in Italian newspapers – The problematic perspectives on femicides in Italian press coverage

by Chiara Palmeri
Outside of Italy, it is not common knowledge that the country of food and marvellous historical monuments is grappling with a silent but deadly crisis: the alarming rise in the number of femicides.

“We fight with research” Femicides in the European Union and worldwide, an overview

by Giulia Ghidelli
In the past years, the phenomenon of femicide has gained increasing space in the news, together with a progressively growing awareness of systemic gender violence matters, such as the gender pay gap, the #metoo movement against sexual harassment in the entertainment world, and structural discrimination.