‘9 March Project

Call for Applications: ‘9 March Project

Open Call For Contemporary Jewelry Exploring Issues Of Gender And Feminism

Contemporary jewelry exploring the subject of gender and feminism: research and exhibition.

March 8 – for some it’s a day to fight for women’s rights, against gender stereotypes and inequality. But for majority people in Russia it is a day filled with stereotypical courtesies: flowers, chocolates and “Let’s give mom a rest today”. March 9 for both is a sobering return to everyday reality, where women are perceived as serving staff, are paid 30% less than men on a similar post and are 5 times more likely to be killed in an incident of domestic violence.

Feminism and gender stereotypes more and more often become a subject of heated debates, editorials and Oscar speeches, as well as movies, TV-shows, performances, comic books and many other art forms. Contemporary jewelry art quite often touches on this subject as well, - however this form of expression still seems unusual to a Russian viewer who expects a jewelry piece to have a hallmark and carats rather than an opinion on a hot topic. Even Russian jewelry artists prefer small-circle events, contests and exhibitions with vague subject names, known only to themselves and their support teams.

‘9 March Project is an attempt to kill two birds with one stone. We want to bring contemporary jewelry to light by rising through it questions that are relevant for many: feminism and gender stereotypes. We want to show that contemporary jewelry is no less of an art form than painting or sculpture. We want to discuss women’s place in society and as a means of expression we want to use something that was always, as women themselves, considered beautiful but insignificant – jewelry. We think that combining two controversial subjects can benefit both: people interested in questions of gender can through it learn more about contemporary jewelry and jewelry lovers will be able to reflect on modern feminist agenda.’

If you create contemporary jewelry and would like to use your art to express your opinion about feminism, patriarchy, women’s place in society, gender stereotypes etc, please fill in the form at www.9marchproject.ru and follow the instructions from there.

Application deadline
September 15, 2019

Deadline for completing the work
December 15, 2019

Deadline for shipping of work
January 15, 2020

Exact dates and venue TBA exhibition in Moscow, Russia
March, 2020

The project is curated by:

Katia Rabey – jewelry designer and critical design in jewelry theoretician. Graduated from jewelry design department of Shenkar college of Engineering, Design and Art in 2017 and from philological department of Russian State University for Humanitites in 2012.

Bella Antonio – Ph.D of philology, photographer, theoretician and practitioner of contemporary jewelry, columnist in Juvelirum.ru.

Masha Starikova – jeweler and designer.

Sasha Pavlovskaya – artist, curator. BA in contemporary art, diploma of University of Hertfordshire via British Higher School of Art and Design.