Monday, November 25th, 2024 saw the opening of the 2024 edition of We Orange The World, hosted by the Artsville Galleries and Community, and organised by Jerzzie Reece-Redstar. Featuring the work of 24 women from across Second Life, the exhibition is now in its 4th year, and is intended to run alongside the United Nations Women’s 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence, which runs annually from November 25th through to December 10th inclusive.
According to the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), violence against women – notably femicide, the intentional murder of a woman or girl purely on the basis of her gender – is on the rise globally. In 2023 alone, the UNODC produced data which showed that every ten minutes through the year, a woman or girl was murdered by their partner or a member of their family, and one in four adolescent girls was abused by a family member. Nor is the violence restricted to physical abuse: psychological violence is a very genuine thing – one that can extend into virtual spaces as well, thus adding a further layer of relevance to We Orange the World.
The United Nations Women’s 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence was initiated in 1991 at the inauguration of the Women’s Global Leadership Institute, in an attempt to reverse the use of violence against women. It is used as a nexus strategy by individuals and organisations around the world to call for the prevention and elimination of violence against women and girls. Initially a civil society initiative, the campaign has – since 2008 – been supported by the UNiTE campaign, which runs parallel events with the aim of ending violence against women by 2030.
Within We Orange the World, now in its fourth year, artists have been invited to submit 2D and / or 3D art related to the general theme of the beauty and empowerment of women around the world. Entrants were asked to keep pieces positive, uplifting and empowering rather than negative in nature, otherwise subject matter and presentation were left up to the artists.
Participating artists for 2023 include: Blip Mumfuzz, Gwyn Evergarden, Duna Gant, Raven Arcana, Carelyna, Ilyra Chardin, Mareea Farrasco, Dido Haas, Margo Hollak, Jaminda Moon, Selen Minotaur, Rhiana Rhiano, Sina Souza, Lori Bailey, Cana Restless, Masggie Runo, Marvayu Anante, Jerzzie Reece, Maloe Vasant, Scylla Rhiadra, Redi Bixchin, Tess Carfagno, Lizzy Swordthain, and Debra Kaz.
The exhibition area follows the same format as recent years: a central outdoor art display around the main event space as it sits under an appropriately orange sky (the use of orange and black through the setting, with other colours gently intruding, is striking in and of itself). This area hosts individual pieces by the majority of the artists as well as offering gifts to visitors.
On the four cardinal point of the event / exhibition space, are are four indoor exhibition halls, each dedicated to larger exhibitions by Debra Katz, Selen Minotaur, Tess Carfagno and Ilyra Chardin; with Debra, Selen and Ilyra mixing 2D and 3D pieces in their installations. Finally, the four corners of the event area offer places of reflection, contemplation, music and remembrance.
We Orange the World traditionally includes daily events; unfortunately, no details beyond the first two days were passed to me in the invitation folder I received, and I didn’t find any information at the event itself. It is entirely possible such information is available of the event’s Facebook page, so if you have an account there (I don’t, so cannot confirm) do hop over and take a look for yourself there, just in case.
SLurl Details
- We Orange the World, Artsville (Caribbean Ocean, rated Moderate)
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