Objects of Desire: Curating and Archiving Sex Work with Rori Dior – Culturally Curious Ep.9

In this episode Nanette Ashby is joined by Rori Dior, a Berlin-based sex worker, anthropologist, activist, and co-founder of the archive Objects Of Desire. We discuss the ins and outs of creating and maintaining an archive such as Objects of Desire and the importance of institutional collaboration.

Reclaiming the Maternal Body: Challenging the expectations and representation of pregnancy in Cindy Sherman’s self-portrait Untitled #205 (1989)

by Nanette Ashby

In the realm of contemporary art, few figures stand at the intersection of identity, culture, and photography as prominently as Cindy Sherman. Born in New Jersey in 1954, Sherman has carved a niche for herself through her pioneering photographic self-portraits. Her body of work challenges and deconstructs cultural norms and expectations, particularly those surrounding gender, celebrity, and the very medium she employs – photography itself.

Hiding abuse behind celebration: International women’s day at Radboud University

by Aya Ahlalouch
While celebrating women in academia is important, this approach raises deep concern. The event highlights women’s work without addressing the systemic barriers they face within the institution. Thereby, International Women’s Day is reduced to a token gesture rather than a meaningful commitment to women’s rights and gender equality.

Shunga – Potentially feminist pornography of the Edo period of Japan

By Nanette Ashby
Every fourth search request entered into Google is linked to pornographic content and makes up a third of all internet traffic. Every month, Netflix, Amazon and Twitter combined receive fewer visitors than pornographic websites (Lust). Evidently, just like sex is fundamental for the human experience, so is pornography a part of everyday life. Regardless of the medium or time period, pornography functions as a transmitter of societal ideas and values.

Mädchen in Uniform: A Masterful Portrayal of Female Solidarity against Oppression

by Airin Farahmand
If you ask a film enthusiast about the most prominent interwar German movies, you will most likely get a German expressionist movie as an answer. After all, in most scholarly books, German cinema is often remembered by Fritz Lang’s iconic movies such as The Metropolis, Nosferatu, and The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari.

Letter to Moldova

by Stela Malega
I write to you, Moldova, to initiate an imperative conversation we must have, collectively and individually, moving forward with the harvest of the presidential elections from 2024. Our grape-shaped country, which has ironically been crushed and pressed throughout history, is at a pivotal crossroads.

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.

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.

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.