The MAKE USE team, under the coordination of Synergy of Musical Theatre, inaugurated the photography exhibition “IN THEIR SHOES” with a focus on gender stereotypes on Friday, December 27th at 19:30 in the first floor of Synergy – Cultural Space.
The goal of the exhibition was to allow the audience to explore, reflect upon, and contribute to changing collective thinking about a future with less violence and more understanding. Participants included Georgia Kollira, Elpida Panagiotopoulou, Vangelis Pappas, and Garifallenia Tsinopoulou. The exhibition was curated by Giannis Hatziantoniou.
The final exhibition is the result of a collective research effort spanning over one year. We received training from experts on the topic of gender stereotypes. Specifically:
- “LGBTQI+ Community, Terminology, Stereotypes, Myths and Reality” in collaboration with Polychrome School and under the coordination of Maria Liotiri, an educator and member of Polychrome School (Tuesday, March 13th from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM online.) The goal was for us to learn what heteronormativity is and how it plays a crucial role in shaping our stereotypes and prejudices towards individuals in the LGBTQI+ community, to explain LGBTQI+ terminology, and to explore which parts are myth and which are reality based on what we have learned or heard about the LGBTQI+ community.
- Two-day workshop under the coordination of Lydia Pantziou, psychologist and Youth Leader of the MAKE USE group (Thursday, November 29th from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM, Friday, December 1st from 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM, online).
The goal of these workshops was for us to try to clarify some vague points about gender stereotypes, gain a common understanding, and challenge ourselves by providing food for thought, research, and discussion.
What do gender stereotypes mean for us? What aspects can we identify in our lives and communities? What examples of interventions can we identify at local and global levels? What could the MAKE USE group do about this? - “DOING GENDER – Gender Stereotypes and Realities” under the coordination of Sophia Antoniadou (sex_positive_greece), a Clinical Psychologist, Sexologist, and Psychoanalytic Psychotherapist (Saturday, December 23rd from 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM, online).
The workshop aimed to strengthen our understanding and foster creative dialogue around gender issues, creating safe “spaces” among us for all topics including equality, gender roles, availability, diversity, misogyny, sexism, toxic masculinity, and transgender rights.
Following the educational workshops, our team, consisting of Georgia Kollira, Eleni Kyriazopoulou, Christos Panagiotopoulos, Elpida Panagiotopoulou, Eleni Panagopoulou, Lydia Pantziou, Christos Papageorgiou, Vangelis Papas and Garifallenia Tsinopoulou, engaged in a research process to conceptualize an art project centered around gender stereotypes.
Through regular meetings documented on the Miro digital platform, we arrived at the decision to use photography as the medium to address this theme. This led us to organize an open workshop titled “Thematic Composition Workshop” under the guidance of photographer Giannis Hatziantoniou. (Tuesday, September 12th, 6:00 PM-8:00 PM, SMUH – Tsimiski).
The workshop focused on the creative process of developing themes and the artistic approach to photography. The goal was to gain understanding of thematic composition, i.e., the ability to select and develop a coherent concept across a series of photographs, with emphasis on conception, preparation, and execution of photographic ideas.
After at least six meetings by our MAKE USE research team and one photo workshop, we organized an exhibition of photographs at the SYNERGY – Cultural Space.
My participation in the research for the photography exhibition “IN THEIR SHOES” was an experience that greatly inspired me and helped me to deepen my understanding of gender issues and the social stereotypes that connect them. By capturing our thoughts and feelings through the medium of photography, we had the opportunity to share our insights with the public, provoke critical thinking, and encourage discussion around gender stereotypes.
– Garifallenia Tsinopoulou