The Freising Women's Refuge was founded 30 years ago.
On this occasion, an art exhibition is currently on view that deals with domestic violence.
Freising
- For three decades the Diakonisches Werk Freising has been offering help and education to women seeking protection from violent relationships.
The Freising women's shelter was founded 30 years ago, and the specialist advice center “Help is there” (HilDa) a year ago.
For the anniversary an exhibition with the title "Violence against women has many faces - # invisible" has now been designed.
(By the way: Everything from the region is now also available in our regular Freising newsletter.)
It was opened on International Girls' Day on Monday evening in the Evangelical Community Center on Saarstrasse by Christina Mayer, head of the HilDa specialist advice center and Freising's cultural advisor, Susanne Günther.
15 Freising artists depict in pictures and sculptures the complex field hidden behind the topic of domestic and sexual violence.
+
Faces behind the paintings: (from left) cultural advisor Susanne Günther with the artists Hedi Ostermaier, Eva Maria Bischof-Kaupp, Gabriele Abs, Maria Kiess, Christina Mayer, Charlotte Vögele, Sylvia Endres, Elisabeth Seitzl, Sallie McIlheran, Gertrud Beckers-Kias, Ursula Heßberg, Petra Zunterer and Tita Heydecker.
© Lehmann
Mayer made it clear at the outset that domestic violence is much more widespread than is commonly thought.
Every third woman in adulthood has experienced physical and sexual assault by her partner at least once.
Günther emphasized that the common children suffer as a result.
A gateway for domestic violence was certainly the onerous circumstances during the lockdowns.
Short-time work or job loss with accompanying financial worries, exit restrictions or homeschooling would have hit many families and exacerbated the situation.
How does an affected woman feel?
By announcing an art competition, the attempt was made to open up one's view of the true circumstances and the extent of domestic violence.
How does an affected woman feel, what stories are hidden behind their faces?
In addition to the artistic design, emphasis was placed on the ideas that led to the creation of the respective work of art, emphasized Mayer.
Ines Seidel brought the myth of the Greek goddess Medusa into the present.
Her photo shows a woman standing in an underpass and wearing a mask made of newspaper - with tentacles that are supposed to be like feelers, writes the artist in the explanatory text.
"Am I safe here?" Nobody dares eye contact, but under Medusa's protective mask the self is lost.
Gertrud Beckers-Kias has artistically implemented violence against women and children in wars.
She makes traces of the traumatic experiences of violence visible on their faces.
The jury awarded the third prize for this.
“What is closer to a mother than to see her children grow up and become fully fledged in a safe home, without violence and worries?” Writes Eva Maria Bischof-Kaupp, who for her work “Protected” on paper with pencil and colored pencil with the second prize was awarded.
Domestic violence often "on a small scale"
The winning picture of the competition gives plenty of room for your own interpretation: “The Blue Room” by Sallie McIlheran shows a woman locked in a small room.
A cut at the right edge of the picture allows a view of the outside, as in a film overlay.
The artist writes a situation that leaves questions unanswered.
The viewer decides whether the figure in the background is good or bad.
Domestic violence often happens “on a small scale”, next door and often not seen.
In doing so, she underscored the jury's intention to show that violence against women is not a foreign problem that has been “introduced” through migration.
Unfortunately, no male artist took part in the competition, regretted Günther.
Petra Zunterer received a special prize for her sculpture “Situations”.
Good to know
The exhibition in the Protestant parish hall on Freisinger Saarstrasse can be viewed until Friday, October 22nd.
It can be accessed online until the end of the year at artspaces.kunstmatrix.com/node/7490145.