Siblings of the Soil

For International Women’s Day, Melkweg Expo and Bar Bario collaborated to create Siblings of the Soil—an exhibition on ecofeminism. The climate crisis is far from apolitical; it is the result of political decisions made primarily by the West, at the expense of the Global South. With global crises in areas such as Gaza, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Sudan, and their impact on our planet, it becomes increasingly crucial to centralise the experiences and voices of women of colour—who are often overlooked—in discussions about climate justice.

At a recent climate justice march, Shahar Shirzad, a woman of colour, was denied her right to speak, solely because she drew a connection between war and climate change. This is just one example of how women of colour who speak out against oppression, war and exploitation are silenced. Ecofeminism, at the heart of this exhibition, goes beyond an abstract concept; it is a philosophy that links the oppression of women and the destruction of the environment to patriarchal and capitalist structures. With men dominating positions of power and the widespread obsession with capitalism, both women—especially women of colour—and our planet are seriously disadvantaged. In the conversation about climate justice, the experiences and voices of women of colour are often ignored—despite the fact that they are disproportionately affected by the effects of climate change. Siblings of the Soil focuses on amplifying their voices and their work, as a powerful recognition of their crucial role within these complex and urgent issues.

This exhibition presents works by Tiana Japp, Irina Naji, Maha Eljak, Dina El Zeneiny, Rah Naqvi and Nella Ngingo. These artists offer critical perspectives on the themes of patriarchy, ecofeminism and capitalism: ranging from the representation of womanhood in Burundi to the chaos of conflict in Palestine. These urgent topics and perspectives are translated into various art forms—including painting, photography and beadwork.

The exhibition will celebrate its opening on 8 March. The event will present the exhibition alongside an evening full of art, music and conversations, all underlying the importance of ecofeminism. Featuring music curated by Ampfeminine, an art market and spoken word performances curated by Viva La Vulva.

The opening event starts on March 8th from 17:00 to 22:00, and the exhibition will be on display until April 28th at Melkweg Expo. From March 9th, the exhibition will be open every Tuesday through Sunday from 11:00 to 19:00. Entrance is free of charge.

The exhibition Siblings of the Soil is curated by Bar Bario and made possible by the Mondriaan Fund.