nude women in Western post-colonial painting is a particularly popular topic. And safe. After all, who is against beauty? Women on the canvases dance carelessly, roll on beds, flirt, bathe, be harassed, rape, and kill. OUR western art it’s called the male gaze. partisans they call it “male scrubs” and this is the title of one of their strongest works. In this video, everyone gets the ball, from the pedophile and sexually promiscuous Gauguin to the manipulative, narcissistic Picasso – he sent all but one to the grave or a mental institution – and from Lucian Freud, who claimed that women after 16 take the slide all the way to Chuck Close , who bombarded his models with random questions as they posed naked in front of him. The fact that the Guerrilla Girls, anonymous activist artists and art theorists active since the distant 1985, are not shy in their expressions, is at least they should be recognized. It remains to be seen whether they will shake the prevailing narrative in the art world that women should be in the minority in permanent museum collections and solo exhibitions.

There is no doubt, however, that the exhibition “The Art of Misbehaving” by the combat team in National Library (up to 20/4) loudly opens the first WOW – festival “Women of the World”. (1-3/4). Organized by the SNFCC in collaboration with the British Council and the British Embassy in Athens and featuring a wide range of events, WOW Founder Jude Kelly also attended the official launch of the festival. The first festival was organized at the Southbank Center in 2010, and today it is spread over 30 countries and six continents. “Now women can hold high positions in every field, but the time when each culture takes a step forward is different.”

She explained that she avoids the word “feminism” – it’s a repulsive word – and mentioned that she wishes her granddaughter didn’t have the same worries she went through. Later, when we’re touring the exhibit, I ask her if she thinks it’s embarrassing for men to talk about equal rights. “Of course, they feel the same way as the colonizers did when countries began to throw off the yoke and demand their freedom. They protested. It’s hard to take your rightful place.”

I ask Elli Andriopoula, Managing Director of SNFCC, about her initiative to host the festival in Athens. She visited him as a guest last year in London. “I was fascinated by the energy of the cosmos. That they combined fighting spirit with optimism in a festive atmosphere. The festival is held even under strict Muslim regimes and can last as little as half a day.” She explained that her intention is for the festival to repeat itself and become an institution. Will the 30 million euro donation announced by SNF over the next three years allow more ambitious plans and dreams to come true? “Definitely yes, we asked for it and they responded, as did the state, which committed itself to maintaining the facilities. The numbers help to look further.