Thursday 26 August 2010

I was here

I do have hair, you know; it's the wind!

Hå Gamle Prestegård is such a beautiful place, right at the shore of the North Sea. The light and colours change every minute due to the wind, which yesterday made it difficult to hold the camera still. I wish it could capture the air as well as the image, it’s so refreshing. Hå Gamle Prestegård (gammel means old, prestegård means minister’s residence) has several buildings, and the workshop took place in the main building. Everything is very rustic and sturdy, and there is wonderful artwork everywhere. Even the windows in the barn look like pieces of art.

One table was set up with thread in all the colours of the rainbow and then some. I was early (a lifelong habit), and got to spend a little time with the artist, Lise Bjørne Linnert, herself.
We were a small group, 8 with Lise, which made conversation very easy. She started by telling about the background story of the project, “Desconocida Unknown Ukjent”, which is to create awareness of the femicide in Juarez, Mexico. During the last 17 years, 800 young women have disappeared or been murdered; 2 women a week at the present. We picked a name to embroider and got to work. We were watching a documentary about Juarez made by an American woman a few years ago while we were working.
What can I say? I don’t know what’s worse; the horrible destiny of each of these young women, the grief of their loved ones or the fact that it’s just going on and on and on. It’s somewhere between pulling your hair out and screaming on the top of your lungs frustrating. So what are you going to do? I think Lise’s approach is wonderful; to give these women a voice, to show that they are not forgotten, to show the world that this is happening.

Her installations include 600 names that are public + “unknown” in different languages to symbolize all the other women that disappear. Here is my humble contribution to her project (you could probably pick them out by the colours).Maria Santos Ramirez; you were here. I will remember that.

I know it takes all kinds and all that, but people who trade women like commodities, use them and abuse them then throw them away when they’re done like they don’t matter at all? Really??

Now I’m going to hug my loved ones.

13 comments:

  1. Oh, I'm off to give my loved ones big hugs too, I had no idea. Well done for joining this project - it all helps. Why do these things continue in our so-called civilised world? Maria Santos Ramirez and the unknown names, in my prayers.

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  2. What a beautiful place for a workshop. I will hug my family close even more. I had no idea either! What a fantastic woman to go around informing us of this horrible thing and trying to make a difference. I pray for these women also.

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  3. Big hugs to you too in your orange scarf. Many places in the world even in so called civilized countries treat women as throw away. What a wonderful thing to do. Do you know if they are doing this in the US?
    I wonder how we could participate??? xox Corrine

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  4. It looks like a beautiful place and it sounds like such a wonderful and thought provoking project.

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  5. I've read about this horror before. You made me want to hug my loved ones, instead I called them, just to hear their voices. And now I'm crying.

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  6. Oh my...that is so emotional. I am so proud of you for taking part in that event. Sweet prayers for all those families who have lost a family member to a horrific event. Hugs to you.

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  7. oh my...I think you are very brave! I would spend all the afternoon crying, don't think I would be able to do much...
    I'll keep them in my thoughts...

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  8. Thank you for posting about this. These things happen all over the world, worse in some places than others, but even here in Canada there is outcry for a public inquiry into how RP (a man who I won't dignify by giving a name to) continued killing women over the years when police had lots of information that they could have used earlier to stop him. Bless you for participating in this project.

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  9. Thank you for sharing this with us. I think it is an incredible project to honor our lost sisters. Mexico is a country I will never visit for many reasons, this one included.

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  10. Looking at the embroidered name sent shivers down my spine... How terrible.
    And it does look like the North Sea indeed!

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  11. What a beautiful place for a retreat and a beautiful cause.
    It is wonderful that someone remembers and pays tribute to the woman.

    Debbie

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  12. What an amazing project, and it is wonderful that these women are being remembered.

    Thank you for sharing your experience.

    SheilaC

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  13. Thanks for sharing. That woman does great work!!!!

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