Five North-American artists came together in 2014 to stage an exhibition at a downtown gallery in New York, called 'Future Feminism': ANOHNI, Kembra Pfahler, Johanna Constantine, and Bianca and Sierra Casady of CocoRosie. From their many meetings and brainstorms, thirteen propositions emerged, which were then engraved into rose quartz discs. These sculptures, exhibited in a circle, set the stage for two weeks of performances, lectures and readings by artists including Marina Abramović, Laurie Anderson, Lorraine O’Grady, Kiki Smith and Julian Huxtable.
One of the propositions from the exhibit Future Feminism became a viral meme in the following years, tenet #13: 'The Future is Female'. However, it is only within the context of the 13 Tenets of Future Feminism that the statement’s intention becomes apparent.
The exhibition was staged a second time as a part of ANOHNI’s artist residency at European Capital of Culture, Aarhus, in 2017. This time the event series hosted conversations between academics, environmental scientists, self-defense instructors, refugee populations, and politicians. A third iteration of the Future Feminism program will take place during the Holland Festival, focusing on the exhibition of the stones in the atrium of the Muziekgebouw, archival videos and ephemera, and a series of performances and discussions by the projects creators.
‘We called it “Future Feminism” because we were concerned about the future. Among the tenets were: “The subjugation of women and the earth is one and the same” and “Relieve men of their roles as protectors and predators”. Since we first staged the 13 Tenets of Future Feminism we have seen the #MeToo movement, a resurgence in advocacy for environmental justice and racial equity, an increase in the visibility of trans narratives, and the strengthening of rightwing political agendas across the US and Europe. In the last year in the US, abortion has been banned in some states, and legislation against trans bodies is gaining momentum. The 13 Tenets of Future Feminism were conceived by us as a mutable prescription for change. The insistence upon a connection between the enslavement of femaleness and our continuing assault on the biosphere remains central.’
– ANOHNI
13 Tenets
1.The subjugation of women and the earth is one and the same.
2. Future Feminism requires the participation of all people.
3. Enforce a global standard for the rights and ethical treatment of women.
4. Identify biological differences between the sexes, and draw individuals into greater accountability on the basis of their predispositions.
5. Relieve men of their roles as protectors and predators.
6. Redefine the societal roles of women and men in response to present conditions.
7. Advocate for feminine systems in all areas of governance.
8. Build political structures using a circular model.
9. Repattern societies to nurture the resurgence of biodiversity.
10. Feminize male-centric language.
11. Deconstruct the mythology of male spiritual supremacy.
12. Restore the female archetype as central to creation.
13. The future is female.
