Paper banners highlighting the grey area of violence against women.
Livia Dietsche, Jedithja Pandithakoralage,
Lisa Schiemann, Anika Wertwijn
“Maar het kon erger (But It Could Be Worse)” is an installation that brings together women's experiences. The banners display testimonies of transgressive behavior, collected by the creators through, among other methods, anonymous calls for submissions within their community. Often, these incidents fall into what is referred to as a ‘grey area.’ It might be a sexist joke, an unwanted touch, or an advance made without consent. These are experiences that often go unnoticed or unspoken—at least at first. This installation provides a platform for these kinds of stories, the use of paper symbolizing the vulnerability of bodies, boundaries, and emotions.
The quotes remind us that the intimidation of women is all around us. Every incident is one too many. Step by step, the grey area becomes darker, until we find ourselves asking, ‘How could this have happened?’.