Laia Abril — On Rape : A history of Misogyny chapter two — Les filles du calvaire Gallery — Exhibition — Slash Paris

Past: January 25 → February 22, 2020

Laia Abril — Galerie Les filles du calvaire Laia Abril poursuit son histoire de la misogynie. Après le succès du premier chapitre On Abortion, présenté aux Rencontres d’Arles ... 2 - Bien Critique

The gallery Les filles du calvaire announces the next solo exhibition of the artist Laia Abril. The first chapter of her work on the history of misogyny On Abortion was exhibited worldwide after the emotion caused at the Rencontres d’Arles in 2016. Laia Abril presents the second chapter at the gallery: On Rape.

The artist continues to expand her visual archives on the systemic control of women’s bodies over time and cultures. On her new work, the artist says: "By examining, conceptualizing and visualizing judicial failures, taking into account historical regulations, toxic dynamics and victims’ testimonies, the project highlights the culture of institutional rape that is widespread in societies around the world. I develop this work by exploring the links between myths, power and law and notions of masculinity and sexual violence. I chose this topic in the same way as the first chapter on abortion. I was seized by a local news item that deeply affected me marked. In 2018, the Spanish court released five men who had raped an 18-year-old woman, tried for sexual abuse rather than rape, challenging Spanish jurisprudence on rape.”

“In the midst of the #MeToo movement’s apotheosis, I wanted to understand why certain institutional structures such as justice, law and politics failed not only in dealing with rape victims, but actually encouraged violence by preserving power relations and rape as a social norm. Through history, I have been able to identify the gender stereotypes and myths, prejudices and misconceptions that have maintained and perpetuated the culture of rape. Through careful research on miscarriages of justice and repeated accusations of victims, this project shows how society still blames sexual assault victims today, while normalizing sexual violence.”

On Rape consists of a set of photographs, objects and testimonies. The project is conceived as a real installation whose spatial arrangement constitutes the plastic core. These interconnected elements do not offer a linear or chronological approach but rather allow several levels of reading. By building bridges between history, places and cultures, Laia Abril recalls the universality of the drama of rape.