Fight or Flight

2024

Together with the painter Evelina Reiter, I conceived the project Fight or Flight. Building on the exhibitions "Dear Diary,..." and "I ALWAYS HOLD A KEY IN MY HAND," we invited only FLINTA* artists to engage with the theme of fear. To complement this, we organized a supporting program with self-defense courses, a concert, and artist talks.

Featured Artists:
Simona Andrioletti, Sandra Bejarano, Dasha Buben, Louisa Frauenheim, Jane Garbert, Esther Grüne, Marthe Howitz, Aneta Kajzer, Bianca Kennedy, Hannah Lansburgh, Jeiryung Lee, Sunkyu Lee, Julie Legouez, Arezoo Molaei, Paula Niño, Rachel Nord, Evelina Reiter, Avery Gia Schramm, Anica Seidel, Marina Stanimirovic, Shona Stark, Lee Everett Thieler, Marta Vovk and Sofiia Yesakova

Fight or flight is an ancient survival instinct that describes the rapid physical and psychological adaptation of living beings to dangerous situations. After a moment of shock, the entire organism is put under stress and all forces are being channeled to prepare for flight or attack. Once danger has been averted, a phase of recovery ensues.

But what does it mean to be in constant danger?

Threatening situations and environments; toxic behaviours, patriarchal claims of ownership, social pressure on bodies; historical narratives that pathologise emotions such as ‘rage’ and perpetuate myths of rape, but also economic inequalities and dependencies are just as real as their effects: Anxiety, anxiety disorders, depression and physical disabilities. One thing is certain: to this day, safe spaces for FLINTA* do not exist – neither in the public nor in the private sphere.

The group exhibition Fight or Flight approaches these issues from the perspectives of 24 FLINTA* artists that examine current challenges and threats through a wide range of works. Instead of falling into a state of shock in the face of these overwhelming conditions, the artists propose coping strategies to traumas, experiences and fears faced in female* and queer life. In doing so, they offer powerful insights into forms of resistance to violence and discrimination.

The multitude of artistic practices shows that experiences that are often trivialized as ‘individual’ are in fact structurally enshrined in patriarchal societies. Fight or Flight thus creates a polyphonic space that enables exchange and new alliances in order to empower each other and jointly stand against the continuities of oppressive narratives.

Text by Sabrina Herrmann

THERE IS NO SAFE SPACE (triptych)
2024
bedding, acrylic, photo-tranfer on canvas framed in beds
each 200 x 140 cm

Exhibtion shots

Selfdefense workshop by Bärbel Düsing

Concert Kitty & the Cat

Artist Talks

JULIE LEGOUEZ

Fight or Flight