Gabrielle Goliath is a South African multimedia artist based in Johannesburg. In her artistic practice, she addresses unreconciled traumas from colonialism and apartheid, as well as socially rooted structures of patriarchal violence and rape culture that are maintained in the legacy of these events but which also affect all societies around the world. The work This song is for… (2019) is a video and text installation based on the tradition of dedicating songs to someone. The selected songs are dedicated and chosen by women, queer and transgender people - who themselves have survived rape. The chosen songs are of personal significance to the survivors – songs that transport them back to a particular time and place, evoking a sensory world of memory and feeling. Through workshops and in close collaboration with the artist, the survivors have chosen a song, contributed a personal reflection and a color that has been important in their healing process.  With the work, Goliath wants to elevate the survivors' personal and political struggle for the right to a dignified life, faith, hope and joy. Together with a local queer music ensemble, the selected decication songs are interpreted and it is these performances that the visitor encounters in the exhibition space. 

Gabrielle Goliath, courtesy of the artist.
Photo: Johan Österholm

Konsthall C's exhibition program 2020 - 2021 examines people's voice and language, i.e. the ability to speak and the ability to formulate themselves in relation to their own and others' rights. Each voice arises through interaction with the voices, dreams and lives of others. The ability to see someone else in oneself and based on this insight speak and act in the world is one of life's moral pillars according to the Martinique poet and philosopher Édouard Glissant.

Program:

As part of the program for the exhibition Konsthall C releases a podcast episode on gender-based violence together with Viktoria Löwenthal. Like the exhibition, the podcast talks about the personal and political struggle that follows violence in a close relationship. In the podcast, Viktoria discusses violence, it’s aftermath and legal uncertainty together with Daniella, who is herself a survivor of violence in a close relationship. Read more about the podcast here. Under the link, you will also find support contacts at hand if you or someone close to you is subjected to violence.

The podcast is in Swedish.

Artist talk with Gabrielle Goliath. Read more about the talk here.

During the exhibition, Konsthall C was visited by some of the leading organisations working against men's sexualised violence. In a series of articles, we interviewed all representatives about their work, but also what gives them hope and if arts can be tools and means for change.

Emilia Eriksson, support coordinator at Indra Queer, Trans & Tjejjour, visited us. Read the interview here.

Shahab Ahmadian, editor of MÄN, visited us. Read the interview here.

Cecilia Bödker Pedersen, Secretary General of Storasyster, visited us. Read the interview here.

Peter Söderström, strategist at Talita and the project Reality Check, visited us. Read the interview here.

Anthia Nibitegeka, project manager at Interfem and of the project BlatteQueers in film, visited us. Read the interview here.

Maria Tillquist, counselor at RFSL Support Service, visited us. Read the interview here.