In/Visible Voices of Women
Editors Clelia Coussonnet & Missla Libsekal
Contributors Fatma Cheffi, Silvia Cirelli, Caroline Hancock, Nadira Laggoune-Aklouche, Michel Sicard
In/Visible Voices of Women
Editors Clelia Coussonnet & Missla Libsekal
Contributors Fatma Cheffi, Silvia Cirelli, Caroline Hancock, Nadira Laggoune-Aklouche, Michel Sicard
In/Visible Voices of Women is a collaborative project stemming from a common concern for knowledge production and transmission within the art field. On witnessing the absence of in-depth investigations on the practice of women artists based in Francophone and Lusophone Africa, one of our main impulses was to understand how knowledge sharing mechanisms could be rethought and thrive in a more accessible way. Our interest in pursuing a publishing project on women artists began during a conversation in 2015. What follows is our response to an urgent question: What subject matter begs critical engagement, appears occluded or absent in printed matter, and could benefit from alternate subjectivities?
In/Visible Voices of Women is a collaborative project stemming from a common concern for knowledge production and transmission within the art field. On witnessing the absence of in-depth investigations on the practice of women artists based in Francophone and Lusophone Africa, one of our main impulses was to understand how knowledge sharing mechanisms could be rethought and thrive in a more accessible way. Our interest in pursuing a publishing project on women artists began during a conversation in 2015. What follows is our response to an urgent question: What subject matter begs critical engagement, appears occluded or absent in printed matter, and could benefit from alternate subjectivities?
This initiative is also a reaction to temporalities at work in contemporary art. Faced with fast-produced, reiterated and short-lived content, we have decided to publish at a different pace while involving artists in an editorial process nurtured by long-term discussions and mutual decisions.
This initiative is also a reaction to temporalities at work in contemporary art. Faced with fast-produced, reiterated and short-lived content, we have decided to publish at a different pace while involving artists in an editorial process nurtured by long-term discussions and mutual decisions.
In/Visible Voices of Women is an artist’s book featuring Safaa Erruas, Nadia Kaabi-Linke, Nicène Kossentini, Amina Menia and Zineb Sedira, five established/mid-career artists of Francophone-African heritage responding, at the time of conception in 2015, to the lack of accessible, contextual texts — particularly in English. The texts we produced within this framework, largely unpublished to date, aim at generously sensitising readers to the singularity of each artist, her universe and voice, in relation to contemporary preoccupations. The constellation of these five women’s ‘grammars’ brings diversity, solicits knowledge production and social engagement.
We started in mid-2015, putting down roots for a long journey. Our initial intention was to release In/Visible Voices of Women by the end of 2016 —the date of its completion, and in the light and prism of which it should be read now. With the continuous support of the artists and essayists involved, and though time has passed risking to affect the ‘newness’ of content finalised in 2016, we decided to embark on the path of e-publishing after different setbacks. This choice enables this unique material to be spread and kept alive instead of turning into a ghostly archive. Almost four years after our first discussion, we are thankful for sharing this labour of love and patience with the public.
In/Visible Voices of Women is an artist’s book featuring Safaa Erruas, Nadia Kaabi-Linke, Nicène Kossentini, Amina Menia and Zineb Sedira, five established/mid-career artists of Francophone-African heritage responding, at the time of conception in 2015, to the lack of accessible, contextual texts — particularly in English. The texts we produced within this framework, largely unpublished to date, aim at generously sensitising readers to the singularity of each artist, her universe and voice, in relation to contemporary preoccupations. The constellation of these five women’s ‘grammars’ brings diversity, solicits knowledge production and social engagement.
We started in mid-2015, putting down roots for a long journey. Our initial intention was to release In/Visible Voices of Women by the end of 2016 —the date of its completion, and in the light and prism of which it should be read now. With the continuous support of the artists and essayists involved, and though time has passed risking to affect the ‘newness’ of content finalised in 2016, we decided to embark on the path of e-publishing after different setbacks. This choice enables this unique material to be spread and kept alive instead of turning into a ghostly archive. Almost four years after our first discussion, we are thankful for sharing this labour of love and patience with the public.
Info
March 2019, English and French versions
116 pages
Self-publishing, e-book
