Desconocida Unknown Ukjent showing at Stenersen Museum Oslo

June 20th the exhibition Off the Beaten Path: Violence, Women and Art, opened at Stenersen Museum, Oslo. Link: http://www.stenersen.museum.no/Pressebilder.htm. Desconocida Unknown Ukjent is presented by a table for workshops,including materials for embroidering labels, showing two videos: Lourdes Portillo´s: Missing young woman and Lise Bjørne Linnert and Jose Ferriera´s Threading voices. On another computer visitors can go to different blogs and current articles from Ciudad Juarez, see link http://www.sveinkvamme.com/desconocida_stenersen/

2887 labels, the number embroidered up til now, are placed on a pink painted platform.

I have hosted two workshops so far, not too many participants but both workshops held, in addition to beautiful embroidered labels, thoughtful and interesting discussions. One of the participants was a survivor of abuse and prostitution. She said she was glad to see an exhibition that did not focus on the ugliness of the violence, because as a victim of abuse and violence she explained how you feel ugly, dirty and the beauty you held somehow are lost. In this project she felt each woman was seen as who they were and not what they had been a victim of. This feedback was good for me to hear.

I am also very glad to see that the table is in use without any planned workshop. Every time I come by, I see new additional labels having been embroidered. I feel touched and glad that people do sit down and spend time concerning this very important issue.

Update on the current situation in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico

I spoke with Marisela Ortiz, the leader of the organization Nuestras Hijas de Regreso a Casa yesterday and she shared information on the current situation in Ciudad Juarez:

Since spring 2008 the military have had a strong presence in the city due to the war on drugs. Maybe one could think that this would provide more safety for the population, but this is not so. More than 2000 complaints have been raised against the military's behavior and violent abuse of the people it is supposed to serve. The complaints is of rape,murders,innocent people being beaten up...and where is the complaints leading? Who should they complain to?

The situation for the women are worse. In 2008 130 new women were found brutally killed. So far in 2009, 35 young women have been found killed, 25 more are missing. Many of them in their teens. Two of the women murdered, were teachers and activists, known to help families of the disappeared women. They were found more or less executed. Of course the level of fear is rising. Marisela says, this is what the killers want, a society in deep fear not using their voice to protest. The organization refuses to follow this and continue their strong and load voice of protest.

Unfortunately the news media are very quiet about this side of the situation in Juarez.

Lise

Embroidery back from Shanghai, China

A few days ago I received an envelope with a card, leftover of threads, needles and beautiful labels embroidered in Shanghai, by an international group of women, one Swedish, one from France and one from Shanghai.

June 20th Desconocida Unknown Ukjent will be part of an international exhibition: Off the beaten path. Women Violence and Art, opening at Stenersen Museum in Oslo. The exhibition is curated by Randy Rosenberg from USA and brings together 17 artists from 15 countries, all engaged with art related to fight against abuse and violence towards women. I will host two workshops during the exhibition period, the first one Sunday June 21st. I will post the time at a later point.

NRK,Safari, a program on our National TV Station, has made a reportage about the project which will sent Tuesd June 9th at NRK1 at 10:30PM. It will be sent again the following day at 7pm at NRK2. I will post links to see it over internet after the show cast.

Best Lise

Images from embroidery in Ramallah, West bank, Palestinian Territory

Embroidery with students in Tel Aviv, Israel

Last week I went for a few days trip to Tel Aviv and the West Bank to work on several projects, but also host embroidery workshops for Desconocida. I embroidered with students at an art school in Tel Aviv, one day and two different groups of Palestinian women on the West bank a few days later. I had more time with the students in Tel Aviv and was able ot show part of Lourdes Portillo's film Missing young women andthe group moved from discussions about the situation in Juarez into thoughts of human rights in the general, the value each life holds. In Ramallah at the West Bank and a Christian Palestinian village I visited we had less time to talk, but both places I felt a connection was established. The embroidery they did was incredibly beautiful.

Lise

Important! Fund raising for mothers to have their cases go to Interamerican Court of Human Rights

Three of the cotton field murder cases are going in front of the Interamerican Court of Human Rights April 26, 28 and 29th. The lawyers that are arguing this case have been able to raise air fare for two of the mothers, who will travel to Santiago, Chile to testify. However, both Irma Monreal and Josefina Gonzalez will need money for expenses.
Below is a request from Cecilia Balli. cecilia_balli@yahoo.com
(We request, due to the short time left, that if you can help, you communicate directly with her.
Also below is a message from Nuestras Hijas de Regreso a Casa who have been assisting with this case.

I'm writing you because I received a call from Irma Monreal on Thursday. As you may know, she, Josefina Gonzalez, and Benita Monarrez will be taking their daughters' cases before the Inter-American Court of Human Rights at the end of this month. Josefina and Irma will be able to attend the hearing in Santiago, Chile, with the help of the human rights attorneys in Mexico City who are pressing their case. The attorneys have found the funds to pay for the two mothers' plane tickets, but they have asked the women to bring their own money for meals and other daily expenses. I saw Irma and her family in January, and I know they are hurting financially because her daughter, son, and daughter-and-law have all been laid off in recent months. She has asked for help in raising a bit of funds; I think she would probably need a few hundred dollars. connect her with potential donors.
If you can help directly or can think of any leads, please let me know.

From Malu of Nuestras Hijas (My rough and partial translation)
The lawyers for Nuestras Hijas de Regreso a Casa, Lic. David Peña and Lic. Karla Micheel Salas, members of the National Association for Democratic Lawyers have coordinated a litigation team in the case known as the cotton field case. This case will be argued in front of the Interamerican Court of Human Rights (this is part of the UN system and Mexico is a signatory to the treaty) over the lack of investigations and the absence of response by the Mexican government according to their obligations since the case was submitted to the court in 2007. Oral arguments will take place in front of the court on April 26, 28 and 29 in Santiago Chile.

This case is a key case in the feminicides in Juarez since 8 bodies were found in the cotton field with marks of torture and rape. This is the first case to come from Juarez and is the first case of feminicide in all of Latin America. (the previous case is from Chihuahua and the Mexican government lost at every stage of the process, which continues).

Last image from installation high school

Recent updates on Desconocida

Last week I embroidered with high school students. Only 42 students this time, but all very active and a good discussion was created. Attached are photos from their installation.

Desconocida in general continues to attract attention, on Thursday April 2nd, I will host a workshop for our National TV station, NRK, that will make a reportage on the project. The workshop will be held at Stenersen Museum in Oslo. This museum will host the exhibition Off the beaten path, women, violence and art, opening on June 20. Desconocida Unknown Ukjent will be one of the work to be shown in this exhibition.

To read a resume from the seminar held in Epsom, UK before the opening of Desconocida there, go to: http://www.transitionandinfluence.com/desconocida.html

And also, if you would like to participate, please contact me.

Best Lise

More images from the opening and the seminar

More images from Desconocida at The gallery at UCA

The exhibition opened on Feb 10th and will be on view until March 22nd. Due to the extreme snowfall in and around London it was a challenge to finish in time and have the local community engage in embroidering, but somehow it all came together and everything was in place by 6 Pm on the Feb 10th. The last labels were embroidered the same afternoon in a seminar held in conjunction with the opening and attached to the wall the last 30 min before the opening. The seminar was well attended and several different artists and curators spoke. The topic was communication through the arts of difficult themes. I will later post a resume of the discussion.

To work with Lesley Millar and her team of technicians have just been wonderful. We had some trouble to get the sound piece to function as planned, and I am so impressed by the patience and the effort the technicians showed trying to solve it. And they did, after 3 days work! And of course it was a small simple thing, such as the correct cable...
Thanks again to all contributing.

Lise