Re: [oldboys] Re: maria fernandez/suhail malik on cyberfeminism

[Faith Wilding <fwild+@andrew.cmu.edu>]

Hi Connie, Maria, Clara and Susanna and all: I just came back from Ars
Electronica where I was on the Female Takeover panels with Connie, Nina
Budde, Lynne (sorry don't remember last name at the moment), and
snergurutschka (a group of 3 young women artists from Linz). Our main
objective was to talk about strategies of feminist or cyberfeminist art.
There are so many things to say about this panel and I am still so upset
and jet-lagged that I can't think straight. But one thing stands out
which relates to the current discussion about critical and theoretical
cyberfeminism. Snergurutschka collective presented a taped statement
(even though they were there in person) that they refused to speak about
their work and that they refused theory--specifically it seems, feminist
theory. To me that was really disturbing and a real regression, a
silencing of women, and a silencing of history. Is this what feminist
struggle has won for some fortunate women? that they can do whatever
they want without any feeling of responsibility to communicate with
women from other fields and practices and countries,with differences of
access and economic placement in the world?
I know that we can't save the world, but I do feel that if we have a
platform from which to speak then we are responsible to speak not only
for and to and about ourselves, but to a much broader constituency that
does not yet have a platform. We know women's history only because some
women (and men) have made it their life-long work to explore it and
teach it and write about it and show it and fight to have it represented
as part of world history. It can so easily be lost. As a feminist and
cyberfeminist I value immeasurably the theory that women are producing
and the generative and critical conversations which that theory allows
me. My work would be nothing without it. 

I hope to write more about Female takeover etc. after I have calmed down
a little. 
cheers, faith wilding 


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