Saxony-Anhalt Gleichstellungspreis
The Kunstmuseum Magdeburg was honoured with the Saxony-Anhalt Gleichstellungspreis (State Equality Award) in the category ‘Strengthening Democracy – Combating Gender-Based Violence’. The award went to the project ‘Ženska kuća (Sunčane naočale) [Women's House (Sunglasses)]’ by artist Sanja Iveković, which was developed for Magdeburg in cooperation with a women's house in Saxony-Anhalt and the Kunstmuseum and exhibited in the local urban space in autumn 2024.
To draw attention to the issue of gender-based violence, artist Sanja Iveković developed the poster series ‘Ženska kuća (Sunčane naočale) [Women's House (Sunglasses)]’. Building on glamorous black-and-white advertising images of well-known fashion brands, the artist has been bringing very personal accounts of women who have experienced domestic violence into the public discourse for more than ten years. The haunting testimonials, which bear witness to violence against women, but even more so to resilience, contrast with the advertising images of models wearing sunglasses from well-known luxury brands ranging from Saint Laurent to Armani and their impact in today's media society.
Five new poster designs were created in Magdeburg, for which women from Saxony-Anhalt anonymously described their experiences of intimate partner violence and domestic violence. To mark the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women on 25 November 2024, the posters were displayed on advertising columns throughout the city for several weeks. The project achieved maximum publicity during a public tour of Magdeburg city centre on 25 November. In collaboration with the Volksbad Buckau c/o Frauenzentrum Courage, the texts written by the women involved were read aloud to the public by Iris Albrecht, a chamber actress at the Magdeburg Theatre.
The Gleichstellungspreis has been presented by the Ministerium für Arbeit, Soziales, Gesundheit und Gleichstellung since 2023. It is part of the state programme for gender equality in Saxony-Anhalt.