is the name of the exposition that traveled through the Netherlands and abroad in 2009. There will definitely be a continuation in 2012.
This exposition ‘researches’ society’s attitude toward the female genitalia. For one reason or another, the whole matter concerning women’s sex organs and sexuality is surrounded by a mystique. This is all very nice, were it not for the fact that this mystification turns out to be negative.
As to content, the artists concern themselves with different aspects.
--The new trend in which women have plastic surgery done on their labia
. Sometimes girls younger than fifteen are involved. Is the cause of this the use of sex in advertising, porno magazines, and films? Is it insecurity that drives these girls toward the plastic surgeon, because they are unaware of their selfhood and uniqueness?
Even worse than the use of surgery in order to ‘beautify’, is the vaginal mutilation as practiced in certain cultures. Despite the legal prohibition against female circumcision in the Netherlands, it still occurs.
--The vagina (i.e., the woman) as use object: for rent or sale.
Is prostitution as normal as we tend to believe? And as to so-called ‘white slavery’, isn’t that a trade in cunts?
--Ode to the vagina.
In addition to bringing to the fore these abuses, this exposition also, and especially, wants to be an ode to the vulva, women’s sexual organs in their naturals beauty, without surgical ‘improvements’, without mutilations, without abuse, and without taboos. After all, isn’t it exactly the taboos that help bring about these abuses and obstruct a normal orientation.
And that’s a damned shame!
The exposition was first opened on the 18th of January, 2009, in the gallery of the Kunstreizigers on the Lage der A in Groningen. In April 2012 Mea Vulva will be at Blokhuispoort in Leeuwarden, The Netherlands.
