Grants:Project/Rapid/The Museum of Contemporary Photography / Panel Discussions and Events for Reproductive: Agency, Health, Fertility Exhibition

statusineligible
The Museum of Contemporary Photography/Panel Discussions and Events for Reproductive: Agency, Health, Fertility Exhibition
The Museum of Contemporary Photography is seeking $2,000 to cover expenses for honorariums to artists and healthcare professionals who will be part of a series of events in conjunction with our current exhibition titled Reproductive: Health, Fertility, Agency.
start date03/01
end date03/24
budget (local currency)$2,000USD
budget (USD)please add the amount you are requesting (USD)
grant typeorganization
non-profit statusYes
contact(s)• rcantzler(_AT_)colum.edu• rcantzler@colum.edu
organization (if applicable)• The Museum of Contemporary Photography
website (if applicable)• mocp.org


Project Goal edit

Briefly explain what are you trying to accomplish with this project, or what do you expect will change as a result of this grant. Example goals include, "recruit new editors", "add high quality content", or "train existing editors on a specific skill".

Educate the public about the historical and contemporary misconceptions of the female body

Project Plan edit

Activities edit

Tell us how you'll carry out your project. What will you and other organizers spend your time doing?

The Museum of Contemporary Photography is seeking $2,000 to cover expenses for honorariums to artists and healthcare professionals who will be part of a series of events in conjunction with our current exhibition titled Reproductive: Health, Fertility, Agency. The exhibition focuses on empowering women and their health, and includes a panel discussion on March 10, 2021 (titled Destigmatizing Reproductive Health); a teen education workshop on February 18, 2021, and a lecture in photography with Candice Breitz on March 24, 2021, who explores links between capitalism, labor, male dictatorships and the regulation of women’s bodies.

About the Reproductive Exhibition

Reproductive explores the psychological, physical, and emotional realities people encounter in the years leading up to, during, and after fertility. The exhibition features eight artists who consider a range of topics including birth, miscarriage, pleasure, the lack of access to abortion, trauma, and the loss of fertility. The term “reproductive” is twofold. It implies the characteristics of a photograph, bringing attention to a notable lack of visual representation of the experiences of the female body. Additionally, the term is a reference to a common patriarchal, capitalist view of women’s bodies as vehicles for reproduction. This exhibition aims to add visual presence and a deeper understanding of the precarious nature of female rights and freedoms in a time where the future of these rights is uncertain.

Destigmatizing Reproductive Health

The panel discussion will address historical and contemporary misconceptions of the female body. Panelists will also delve into the history of women’s reproductive health care and how the fields of gynecology and obstetrics have been shaped by race and class-based discrimination.

Panelists include: OB-GYN and educator Wendy C. Goodall McDonald, MD, aka Dr. Everywoman; Scout Bratt, Outreach and Education Director at the Chicago Women’s Health Center; writer, educator, and performer Terri Kapsalis; and moderated by exhibition curators Karen Irvine and Kristin Taylor.

Reproductive: Teen Education Workshop

What does "reproductive" even mean? Scout Bratt, Outreach and Education Director at the Chicago Women’s Health Center will lead a feminist conversation about the messages we receive and the language we use when talking about bodies and reproduction. They will explore medically-accurate definitions of body parts and how the way we relate to, talk about, and think our bodies can be political acts. Lecture in Photography: Candice Breitz

Candice Breitz’s recent work reflects on a media-saturated global culture and probes widespread indifference to the plight of those facing real world adversity. Breitz will discuss her work including Labour (2017, ongoing), currently on view in Reproductive, which explores links between capitalism, labor, male dictatorships and the regulation of women’s bodies.

As organizers, we will spend our time planning and promoting these important events. Co-curators Karen Irvine and Kristin Taylor will provide background to the issues surrounding reproductive health and facilitate these conversations, relating topics discussed back to the exhibition for greater context.


How will you let others in your community know about your project (please provide links to where relevant communities have been notified of your proposal, and to any other relevant community discussions)? Why are you targeting a specific audience?

We will promote the events through our e-blast list consisting of 16,000 subscribers, in addition to social media outlets Facebook and Instagram. Additionally, we have cross promotion opportunities through the Chicago Foundation for Women and the Chicago Women’s Health Center.

Additionally, the event is currently being promoted on our upcoming events page here: https://www.mocp.org/events/event?id=35407031206832

We also have paid advertising in the following: e-blast for Aperture Foundation, search ads with Google, on social media sites including Facebook and Instagram, Chicago Gallery News, Artform and Newcity and ads that run on WBEZ, Cross promotion with local organizations including Chicago Women’s Health Center and Planned Parenthood of Illinois and Feminist Art Collective


What will you have done at the end of your project? How will you follow-up with people that are involved with your project?

For much of documented history, women have been excluded from medical and science knowledge production, so we have ended up with a healthcare system that has been dictated by the patriarchy. Our programming has the goal of educating people on the gender and racial biases in healthcare, while promoting the message that access to reproductive healthcare should be treated as a basic human right. Our programs reach an international audience—with already registered attendees based in countries where access to women-specific healthcare is rare, and where abortions are illegal. We hope that our programming will empower people all over the world to be activists, working to make changes in their healthcare systems and to destigmatize how we talk about women’s bodies and fertility.

Are you running any in-person events or activities? If so, you will need to complete the steps outlined on the Risk Assessment protocol related to COVID-19. When you have completed these steps, please provide a link to your completed copy of the risk assessment tool below:

No

Impact edit

How will you know if the project is successful and you've met your goals? Please include the following targets and feel free to add more specific to your project:

  1. Number of total participants
  2. Number of articles created or improved (if applicable)
  3. Number of photos uploaded to Wikimedia Commons (if applicable)
  4. Number of photos used on Wikimedia projects (if applicable)

We will reach 500 individuals.

Resources edit

What resources do you have? Include information on who is the organizing the project, what they will do, and if you will receive support from anywhere else (in-kind donations or additional funding).

Organizers are co-curators Karen Irvine, Chief Curator and Deputy Director, and Kristin Taylor, Curator of Academic Programs and Collections.

We currently have no additional funding sources for this project.

What resources do you need? For your funding request, list bullet points for each expense:

  • $400 honorarium for Scout Bratt, Outreach and Education Director at the Chicago Women’s Health Center
  • $300 honorarium for Wendy C. Goodall McDonald, MD
  • $1,300 honorarium for Candice Breitz, artist

Endorsements edit