Infinity to the Power of Women

This journey began quietly and inauspiciously. It began with an invitation to the Women in Art Biennial and with the question asked of each participating artist: what is your experience as a woman in the art world? A question that opened a door of inquiry and awareness.

I realised what had been there to see all along; the absence of women in art history. This was not because women were not artists, but because history did not acknowledge or record their contributions. In many of today’s art museums, women artists are overwhelmingly absent.

Yet, this startling absence of women in the human story is not limited to art; it is there in all our recorded histories. Those few that broke the gender barriers, soon languished uncelebrated, their stories omitted and eventually, forgotten.

Today, these remarkable women are being rediscovered, and restored to us. It is a crucial restoration to the story of humankind because without their presence, it might be easy to believe that women are less talented, less contributing, less important, less deserving; that women are less.

It is an imbalance that needs attention; for the human species to flourish, it needs everyone to contribute of their presence, equally. Infinity to the Power of Women began as a discussion on how to contribute to returning women to their rightful place in our story.

It seemed natural to start with the women who dedicated their lives to establishing a democracy in South Africa. Women who sacrificed, who fought, who shifted the tides of history.

It is to them we say, there will always be someone to remember and to offer gratitude. Always someone to tell the whole story.

Beauty of the Heart

Maxeke was the first black woman in South Africa to hold a graduate degree. She contributed to the struggle for women's and workers' rights and dedicated her life to the struggle for peace and justice, founding the Bantu Women's League in 1918.

September was active in several organisations in the fight against apartheid. She was jailed for five years for sabotage and inciting political violence. September went into exile in 1974. Whilst serving as the ANC's chief representative in France, she was assassinated in 1988.

Goonam was a feminist, activist and intellectual. She studied medicine in Scotland because there was no facility for her to study in SA. On her return, she participated in various campaigns of the Natal Indian Congress and was imprisoned 17 times for her political activities.

Lady of Law

Victoria was a qualified nurse that went on to study law and became an attorney. She was part of the Treason Trial defence team in 1984 against the leaders of the United Democratic Front, and the Natal Indian Congress.