The Feminist Workshop in Sofia

The Feminist Workshop platform will show the necessity of organized action inBulgarian society targeted towards visibility of women problems (both of the heterosexual and the LGBT community) and for defense of their rights, in solidarity with the other genders. 

From Dec 11th to 15th we will meet informally at the fridge & Haspel. The workshop will consist of two sections – theoretical/historical and practical. The main purpose of the former section is through lectures and discussion to define women problems and the reasons for their existence – both on local level and within the context of the contemporary capitalist world and its political and economic parameters. We will review wide spectrum of issues – from migrant work and sexual and gender identities, to women participation in protest movements and their specific organizational and technical strategies. 
The practical section of this workshop will teach basic skills in graphic design, graffiti making, comic strip drawing, video, photography and direct action. This workshop will offer a space for exchange of practices on women issues, and will be dedicated to the use of arts for education and agitation. Besides technical skills, we will discuss the conceptual content of the artwork produced, as well as the most appropriate aesthetic and form of its expression. A screening of few feature films will be part of the program. 
Although problems women face around the world are common, there are some of them typical for post-socialist countries, in which the cliché that during socialism the equality of genders have been achieved, is having place even now, which is the reason to “not want more.” Therefore this first Feminist Workshop will be an exchange between Bulgarian participants and art groups from Russia and Ukraine. 
Our hope is that this first edition will be a trigger for the creation of parallel initiatives on specific topics. The participants will have the opportunity to work on their own projects that will be directly applied in practice. 

PROGRAM 

Lectures, performances and films

11 DECEMBER

6.30 pm
Who is the contemporary woman and how does she become visible in nowadays society?
Introductory presentation by Boryana Rossa (New Left Perspectives) and panel discussion with Liza Babenko (Moscow feminist Group), Boryana Pandova (Association of Bulgarian Doulas), Boryana Petrova (LGBT Action), Elena Stoikova (Sofia University) and other participants and guests of the workshop. 

Why is there a need of organized women speech on women problems? What are the existing practices? During this discussion we will review the major problems of contemporary women that will later become the themes of the posters, graphics and the films produced during the workshop. We will share collective knowledge about already existing initiatives that deal with women issues and will discuss what initiatives are missing. We will comment on the role of arts in this process. 

8.45 pm
Clip, 2012, (Serbia); Director: Maja Milos
Film screening

12 DECEMBER

6.30 pm
Personal is Political: Sex, Sexuality and Labor
Lecture by Liza Babenko (Ukraine/Russa) and open discussion

Politicising private spheres of sexuality, sexual relationships and labor in a radical feminist context is the focus of Babenko’s presentation. She will present the new generation of feminist artists and activists in Russia and Ukraine, more specifically the video and performance art work by the Russian artists Mikaela, Marina Vinnik and Yakov Kazdan. Socially significant work made by the Moscow Feminist Group and other Russian artists and LGBT activists will also be presented and discussed with the audience. We will look at this art in the context of the violent, sexist, ageist and homophobic policy of nowadays Russian government and the neoconservative moods in society. 

8.30 pm
Hotel Beirut, 2013, (Lebanon), Directed by: Daniel Arbid
Film screening

13 DECEMBER

6.30 pm
To Slim Down for the Summer
Performance by Mikaela (Russia) and discussion

8 pm
Pain, 2011
Body, 2013.
Films by Marina Vinnik (Russia) and discussion

9.30 pm
Itty Bitty Titty Committee, 2008 (USA), Directed by: Jamie Babbit
Film Screening

WORKSHOPS

14 DECEMBER

10 am -12.30 pm 
Quick and Slow Socially Engaged Photography
Workshop with Boryana Pandova and veselina Nikolaeva (Bulgaria)
- how to develop a theme / an idea
- how to work quick
- how to work slow
- how to shoot with cheap cameras
- how to adjust the camera and make good composition
- what kind of tricks are used to shoot movement or under bad lighting (who to shoot fast moving people at demonstrations, how to shoot presentations in dark halls)

1.30 pm
How to Make Good Video 
Workshop with Marina Vinnik (Russia)
Marina Vinnik will present basic rules for shooting with video camera, recording sound and video editing. Besides technical skills the workshop will be dedicated to conceptual questions regarding the content and the aesthetics of video production for social purposes. 

15 DECEMBER

10– 11.30 am
The Feminism of Birth Giving: Alliance of Two Women 
Presentation by Association of Bulgarian Doulas
Doula is a special woman, who is convinced that every woman is capable of determining the circumstances of her labor. Doula believes that women are able to deal with the physical and emotional challenge of labor, no matter what kind of labor they have chosen. The doula helps you to imagine yourself during birth giving – strong, informed, protected, making decisions and determining interconnections. The connection between the doulas and the woman in labor restricts the power of the patriarchal society to direct how women face motherhood.

12.30 pm
Graffiti, posters, and political drawings
Mikaela will show varieties of techniques for making street graffiti and posters. The workshop will not only be technical, but conceptual ideas will be discussed – what to draw, what to write, what in her experience has been effective and what not. 

ALL EVENTS IN THIS PROGRAM ARE FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

Curators: Boryana Rossa and Liza Babenko with the help of New Left Perspectives and Social Center Haspel.