7 x Celebrating International Women's Day
On March 8, International Women's Day, we celebrate women's rights. Worldwide, extra attention is paid to women's social, economic, cultural and political achievements. Also in the cultural heritage sector, several initiatives turn the spotlight on women and their rights: an overview.
Sisters at War (KADOC)
World War II spared no one, including the approximately 50,000 women who chose a life as nuns in one of Belgium's many convents. Their story was never told before: after all, war was "a man's business," seemingly miles away from the invisible existence of nuns hidden behind high convent walls. And yet their lives, too, were thoroughly upended. How did nuns deal with destruction, pain, hunger and death? What challenges presented themselves in the sisters' schools and care facilities? Did the isolation of the convent offer opportunities for resistance and clandestine actions? Did some sisters sympathize with Nazi ideology? And how did the sisters relate to the Jewish tragedy that unfolded? KADOC collaborated with Cultural Heritage Annunciates Heverlee and Heritage House I Sisters of Charity to create an exhibition on this theme. Discover the exhibition.
Murder and intrigue with Rachel Ryckeweart (ErfgoedApp, Veurne)
Who was Rachel Ryckewaert? You will find out during this walk with the ErfgoedApp. You will wander through the historic center of Veurne at the time of the First World War. Expect murder, intrigue and the last beheading in Belgium. Together we will search for the perpetrator. Follow the walk.
Wiki Women Design brings women designers into the spotlight (VAi)
From the designed environment, through (interior) architecture and graphic design to fashion and product design, a great many women left their mark. Yet many of them remained under the radar of heritage institutions, researchers and collectors. The Wiki Women Design project aims to change that. Vlaams Architectuurinstituut is looking for archive material of and expertise on women who had an impact on the designed environment in Belgium. Read more.
Inbox: Freedom is not free (M HKA)
What does freedom mean? Mashid Mohadjerin created multidimensional work composed of photographs, collages, texts and historical images, all relating to the history of women in resistance in the Middle East and North Africa. In her exhibition, she takes the viewer on a dream journey without spatial or temporal boundaries. Discover the exhibition.
Turnhout women past and present (ErfgoedApp, Turnhout)
Women don't get much exposure. Turnhout is changing that by tracking down their stories throughout the city. At ErfgoedApp you can follow a route that leads you past the stories of Turnhout women of the past and present. The finale? An excerpt from a book by Chika Unigwe. Follow the walk.
Women in Motion (KADOC, from April 23)
Women in Motion will be an interactive historical walking tour of downtown Leuven on the theme of the changing role of women after World War II. Five screens located behind the windows of some selected relevant locations will each explain a chapter of the story through photographs and an audio clip. More info.
Strong women, heavy laundry (MOT)
Laundry, that's a woman's business. Or is it? An exhibition at the MOT provides an overview of 150 years of laundry history. Since the mid-19th century, mechanics gradually replaced muscle power and tools became more and more ingenious. Through the history of washing, you will also discover the various developments in society, such as the evolution of domestic processes, utilities or the emancipation of women. Discover the exhibition.
