The VBKÖ in Vienna takes steps towards reforming their organization

In early December we reported on the case  of members and former-members from the Austrian Association of Women Artists (VBKÖ), who issued open statements in response to what they saw as neglect for democratic governance by its president, Rudolfine Lackner.  You can read their description of the situation and their demands here;  the response from the president of the institution can be consulted here.  We continued to follow their case and now share with you some of the resolutions adopted after a General Assembly recently held at the VBKÖ.  We will post all updates around this case on this page and you can follow their progress through their website and facebook group. 

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On December 19th 2011, at the general assembly of the VBKÖ (The Austrian Association of Women Artists) a new executive board was elected and now consists of  Veronika Dirnhofer and Lina Dokuzovic.

With the intention of opening the space and creating a new structure that permits more transparency, we will be redesigning membership modalities, establishing a wider executive board, and introducing an external advisory board.

With these structural adaptations we want to create a wider base of members and thereby encourage support and participation in various ways.

We want the VBKÖ to be a place that fosters contemporary feminist artistic agendas, that offers a space for experiments and supports political and activist work.

We want an Association that supports the advancement of artists today by benefiting from access to the historical archive in order to learn from the rich, complex and important history of the VBKÖ, as well as gaining a foothold in contemporary spaces for artistic production.

We consider these changes as a chance to make new lively connections between the historically important association of women artists and contemporary queer feminist art production.

We want to create an infrastructure that supports the development and the expansion of the founding principles, a VBKÖ that is always in the becoming.

The next general assembly will take place on Feb 1st 2012 at 7 pm in order to inaugurate this round of changes. More information and an official invitation to the general assembly will be sent out soon.

On behalf of the VBKÖ,
Elke Auer, Veronika Dirnhofer, Lina Dokuzovic, Hilde Fuchs, Nina Höchtl, Esther Straganz, Angela Wiedermann and Julia Wieger

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Finally, per the members’ request, we share the new anthem of the VBKÖ (only available in German at this time)

HYMNE DER VBKÖ
written by Eva J. 2010

Der Zugang blieb verschlossen
Triumphe stets vergällt
Dem Gleichheitsdrängen trotzend
Schloss man sie aus der Welt

Doch durstig stets die Kunst
Nach Freiheit bar Geschlecht
Daran sollst du erinnern
Und deshalb sollst du steh’n
Noch hundert weit‘re Jahr
Oh VBKÖ!

Nach einem freien Orte
Fern herrschaftlichen Hohns
Sehnten sich uns’re Schwestern
Du bist des Kampfes Lohn

Denn durstig stets die Kunst
Nach Freiheit bar Geschlecht!

Daran sollst du erinnern
Und deshalb sollst du steh’n
Noch hundert weit‘re Jahr
Oh VBKÖ!

Du stellst im hellen Lichte
Die Wahrheitssuche aus
Du zeugst von wahrer Größe
Denn offen steht dein Haus

Für Kunst die durstet stets
Nach Freiheit bar Geschlecht!

Daran sollst du erinnern
Und deshalb sollst du steh’n
Noch hundert weit’re Jahre
Oh VBKÖ!