GIRL POWER

30cm x 30cm - 2011

Acrylic, stickers, mimosa, crystal resin

International Women’s Day, has been established to remind women’s economic, political and social accomplishments, as well as the discriminations and violences that they still have to put up with in some parts of the world. The date of the 8th of March was chosen because during that day women have had the leading role in major events; amongst these is the tragedy of 1857 when a fire broke out in a New York factory, killing hundreds of women textile workers who had proclaimed a strike against low salaries, the long hours of work, child labour and the barbaric conditions of toil. This plight has been connected to International Women’s Day (which was originally called International Working Women’s Day), because it brought to reform the employment law in the US, ensuring major rights to working women. The idea of matching the celebrations with a flower came from Italy: in 1946 the activists of the Italian Women’s Union, Rita Montagnana and Teresa Mattei, chose the mimosa as it blossoms during the first days of March and is affordable to all. After the enfranchisement conquered by the weaker sex throughout the centuries, a cheap posy, once a year, seems a meagre ploy to throw a sop to Cerberus. Girl power duly becomes the spokeswoman of female grit and backbone, expecting recognition for her merits all the year round.

Private Collection