Woman Scream 2024 | Krik Žene | Serbia | Gornji Matejevac | Niš

 

The Woman Scream Festival 2024 (Krik Žene), was held in Serbia trough the month of March in the village of Gornji Matejevac and the city of Niš for the second time. Under the motto 'My art is my scream' we organized 13 events. 10 workshops, a photography exhibition 'Sestre' (Sisters), an activity named 'Prelo' and a closing celebration where we showcased products of our work and had guest artists.

Workshop 'Making old clothes into new beauty' was designed to give an opportunity for mothers and daughters to connect by upcycling old jeans into bags and to raise awareness about pollution that is made by fashion industry. We had 15 participants, 8 girls (5 to 13 year old) and their moms, godmothers, grandmas and older sisters. Workshop was designed and facilitated by Milena Ilijić.

 

'Female narrative in popular music' was a place for 5 women to talk about if and how stories about women in songs are changing. We talked about songs that we are connecting to our experience, to how we feel in the world, and gave space to rising female voices in pop culture of Serbia. Workshop was designed and moderated by Marija Jović.

Poetry writing workshops, 4 in total, were a place for 10 women and 28 girls (11 to 15 years old) from elementary school 'Karađorđe' in Gornji Matejevac, to learn how to express emotions that are difficult to name and communicate through poetry. Workshops were designed by and led by Maja Delibašić and Milica Bugarin.

 

 

Workshop 'In the mirror of Alice' was for a place for girls 4 to 7 years old to imagine and make the worlds thay wish for and themselves in those worlds. We had a chance to meet some dinosaur-fighting fairies, groups of dancing friends, princess in an enchanted castle, and a goddess from mount Olympus. Workshop was designed and facilitated by Jovana Živković and Katarina Gajić.

 

Artistic workshops we organized thanks to art club Wanderlust. One was for teenage girls 12 to 18 years old and had 6 participants, and the second one was for women and had 5 participants. With girls we explored how they see their future and encouraged tham to dream big and not limit themselves. With women we explored self-image inspired by Frida Khalo and painted self portraits. Workshops were designed and led by Zorana Janić.

At our last workshop Nina Spasić taught us how to make Dream catchers. We worked with willow branches, cotton string, woden beads and feathers to weave protection for our dreams and energy. We had 8 participants.

 

 

 

Photography exhibition 'Sisters' was open for 7 days, March 14th to 21st at House of Walnuts Bistro in Niš. It is a project that had the aim to capture the magical bond of sisters, how ever they come to us - by birth or by decision, and also to celebrate everyday beauty of women in all ages, shapes an sizes. The project was created and organised by art club Wanderlust.

'Prelo' is an old and forgotten female practice in our coulture of coming together in the evenings to share stories, sing and knit, crochet, embroider, make and mend clothes. We wated to bring it back to life and make a place for women to learn, create, connect and have fun.

 

 

 

At the closing celebration we showcased what was made in workshops - bags, paintings, collages, dream catchers, poetry. We talked about the Festival and about the process of the workshops. Thanks to Teatro Dance Studio we had an opportunity to to see the choreography 'Station' that is a combination of stage movement and modern ballet and integrates Serbian sign language. We heard Poetic playing by Grandpa's garage band, children songs that deal with topics of violence, grief, pain and growth and resilience. The poets Ana Ilić and Maja Delibašić read selections of their poems concerning different female experiences. 

It was a joy to behold what happens when women join their energy and voices. For our sisters, our children and our planet - we want this to be face of the world!

Thank you all for your SCREAM!

 

 

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Moja umetnost je moj krik. Krik Žene Serbija 2024.

 

Smo se družile sa najmlađim učesnicama Festivala @krikzene @womanscream @gritodemujer Jovana @milkaskeksom i Kata katicgajica su im pomogle da osmisle svoje svetove i sebe kao heroine tih svetova, moćne, razigrane, radoznale... Šetale smo s njima kroz začarane šume, uklete dvorce, pećine s blagom sve do Olimpa i Londona. One su se tako dobro zabavljale da smo morale da im se pridružimo i mi odrasle smislimo nove svetove za sebe. One sebe vide kao Boginje, Princeze, Vile naš je najvažniji zadatak da ih vaspitavanjem ne ubedimo da su žabe. Znači 'samo' da zaštitimo ono što je već tu.Hvala mamama koje su prepoznale koliko je ovo važno i devojčicama koje nam tako lako pokažu svu magičnost sveta samo ako im dozvolimo.

 

Na pola puta sa našim festivalskim aktivnostima imali smo dve radionice sa Zoranom @klubumetnostiwanderlust Na jednoj su se učesnice bavile mogućim budućnostima, svojim željama i time kakva nam je hrabrost potrebna da želimo i preduzimamo stvari da te želje postanu stvarnost. Na drugoj smo se bavili onim što je već tu - sobom i svojim talentima, snagama, seksualnošću, veličinom, svetlošću.

 

 

Sa Ninom @dedina.garaza smo prošle krugove života i pravile (i napravile) hvatače snova. Bio je to jedan fokusiran proces, kreativan i zabavan! Svašta smo naučile i uradile u martu - neke su žene i devojčice napisale svoje prve pesme, neke su prvi put podelile svoju poeziju, crtale smo autoportrete i pravile najbolje svetove, stvorile smo divne nove torbe od starih materjala, neke devojčice su prvi put nešto sašile, bile smo modeli, slavile svakodnevnu lepotu žena i sad smo evo napravile svoje prve hvatače snova - čuvare i sita za misli.

 

"Prelo" u okviru Festivala @krikzene #womanscream je zamišljeno da oživi stare ženske prakse zajedničkog rada, povezivanja i da nam da priliku da se družimo i zabavimo. Nemam reči da opišem u kojoj meri sam uživala sa ženama koje su odlučile da podele svoje vreme i talenat. Učile smo jedne od drugih i jedne sa drugima. I toliko nam je bilo lepo, da smo odlučile da nastavimo sa Prelom kao načinom susretanja, tako da se vidimo i aprila Ženske zajednice su mesto podrške i slobode i sa tog mesta možemo da delujemo dalje, tako da se podrška i sloboda šire u koncentričnim krugovima kao kad kamenčić baciš u vodu.

 

 

Završni događaj Festivala Krik Žene je bio jedno divno i katarzično iskustvo. Okupile smo se i kroz pokret, sliku, muziku, poeziju... izrazile ono što ostaje neizrečeno. Za žene koje ostaju u tišini, za decu koju nema ko da čuje, za Zemlju koja pati.

U martu smo održale deset radionica, organizovale izložbu fotografija 'Sestre' i Prelo. Napravile smo prostore za povezivanje, za istraživanje i izražavanje, za osećanja i promišljanja. Na radionicama je bilo preko 70 učesnica od 5 do 60 godina.

Nema reči kojima možemo da zahvalimo divnim ženama koje su nesebično dale svoje vreme, znanje, glas i ljubav ovom pokretu.

Voleli bi da ste vi slika sveta!