Description
Cristina Núñez has been taking self-portraits since 1988 as a form of self-therapy to explore her personal and creative identity. Ever since the time of primitive societies, the body has been assigned symbolic meanings that go beyond the individual. A cultural dimension is added which transforms the body into the core expression of all natural events. The project aims to raise women’s self-esteem by sharing the artist’s experiences. The result of the project will be: - “Her/Story. Two women behind the camera”, a video reflecting two pieces, “La vie en Rose” by Cristina Nuñez and “Changing art and restoring the studio” by Lotte Konow Lund. - Two self-portrait workshops for women in prison in Barcelona and Oslo. The work in prisons aims at helping the inmates entering into a creative process by transforming their emotions in artwork, and thus discovering their potential and raising their self-esteem. - A self-portrait workshop for the public in Norway. - Exhibitions and performances in Barcelona (June) and Oslo (August). The general public and women in prisons in Barcelona and Oslo will benefit from the project by participating in the workshops and exhibitions.
Summary of project results
The project “Her/Story. Women behind the camera” was led by Spanish artist Cristina Nuñez. In the project, Nuñez entered into a creative dialogue with three sides of the Norwegian contemporary society, who each has its own approach and language that influence the meaning of femininity and emotions. Nuñez has been collaborating with Lotte Konow Lund and Oslo Photo Art School, as well as inmates in the prisons Bredtveit, Ila and Ullersmo (Norway) and Brians 1 (Spain). On one hand, each partner is giving its voice to its culture and generation, creating an exchange between two very different societies in the north and south of Europe. On the other hand, the project intended to stimulate young photography students to use art photography in social contexts. The workshops in the prisons aimed at helping the inmates entering into a creative process by transforming their emotions in artwork, and thus discovering their potential and raising their self-esteem. The result of the project was exhibited at the H2O Gallery in Barcelona, at El Patio de Martín de los Heroes in Madrid and at Oslo Photo Art School. The main outputs are the permanent online exhibition:
http://r9b0334408.racontr.com/ and the project blog:
https://weexist-norway.tumblr.com/ The project improved the cultural links between Spain and Norway, as well as promoted an European identity. The exhibitions contributed to bringing different views on women’s role in society and femininity up to discussion. In addition, according to the inmates that participated in the workshops, the project has helped them discover their potential and learn about their own emotions as a form for rehabilitation.
Summary of bilateral results
The partnerships constitute the basis of the project, and Cristina Nuñez uses these partnerships with the aim of triggering an innovative dialogue, not only about the feminine body, but also about European diversity and identity. Nuñez has worked together with the Norwegian artists, students and inmates throughout the project. This process has established an artistic dialogue that has reflected upon the differences and similarities in self-representation of women living and working in Northern and Southern Europe. By including several partners, the project created a sharp contrast not only between the different views on women in Europe, but also between the students with a bright future, and the women incarcerated in the prisons. Negotiations on how to carry on with the cooperation in other Norwegian prisons have started. The project can also work as a possible model for artists from different countries and cultures. Public and private spaces dedicated to the arts may engage in similar interactions that carry a significant potential for social improvement.