Debunking the patriarchy: feminist collectives in Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, and Peru

Abstract

Historically, public space has been forbidden to women because women's dignity was determined by patriarchy from its performance in the private sphere. This chapter addresses four feminist art collectives with origins in Latin America: Mujeres Públicas (Buenos Aires, Argentina), Mujeres Creando (La Paz, Bolivia), Malignas Influencias (Santiago de Chile, Chile), and Laperrera (Lima, Peru). These artists use their work to invade and subvert the patriarchal system, and seek to bring about real change in the lives of women. These groups have taken to the streets as well as to art spaces in order to launch critiques of patriarchy, while raising feminist consciousness throughout their respective societies. The art collectives take to the streets as a laboratory for artistic experiences, but they also bring these issues to galleries, museums, and biennials around the world in order to raise awareness in such institutions about these everyday situations that affect 50% of the population.