dreams for women - antigone foundation

“i dream of a world were mothers don’t fear for their children in old men’s wars.” guess who wrote that? a woman? no, a man wrote that. HE wrote that. in fact, Balz Beitenholz, a prominent local Vancouver artist wrote that. hosted by Antigone Magazine and WILLA (Women Involved in Legislative Leadership Association), "Dreams for Women" is an exhibit of art postcards with a feminist theme. men, women and children alike painted, drew, wrote or sketched a dream they have for women of the world. hundreds of postcards were created by artists from as far as Japan, Germany, Brazil, France and Romania. even patients of an eating disorder clinic in Los Angeles participated in this project as a theurapeutic activity.

the principle behind this project is like the popular "Post Secrets,” which is community-based mail art. however, “Dreams for Women” is unlike its inspiration because these postcards do not hold their creators' deepest secrets, but rather meaningful messages for the world to see. common themes which emerged from the exhibited postcards included politics, body image and inner self, rape, abuse, and perfection with of course, relation to women. “[people are] dreaming of a time when women will have more power in business, politics and society” commented Amanda Reaume, founder, editor and mother superior of the Antigone Magazine. “people” is a word not limited to women, but men also. although the submissions were primarily women-based, Reaume said that “men have been very supportive of the project.”

as I was roaming through the postcards creatively featured on cloth lines, I heard a few women nervously laughing at one which said “HILLARY 4 PREZ.” Reaume comments, “[the Canadian and American elections] have shown that people still aren’t comfortable about women leaders and are apprehensive about women being in power.”

some tongue-in-the-cheek submissions included “i [heart] mom…since she pays tuition”, “i dream of a day when the white house press secretary says ‘ladies and gentlemen – madam president’” and “i dream of a world where getting your period is cool…let’s get some ‘period envy’ happening…the day men would trade up their penises for vaginas…”

Reaume wants us to “gain, [from the exhibit], the ability to look critically at the world as it currently is and work towards the dreams to make them a reality.”





where you can visit the “Dreams for Women” exhibit: SUB Art Gallery during October 7 to 11 from 11:00am to 4:00pm daily

where you can view more postcards: http://antigonemagazine.wordpress.com/dreams-for-women/

- cup of red