OFLUXO

Why is feminist science and speculative fiction such a powerful genre, and why did it made such a strong comeback in books, movies and shows from the last few years? Feminist speculative fiction emerges from the necessity of talking about female existence starting from a female point of view; From the urge of questioning the roles of authors, narrating voices and those who are in charge; From the desire of manipulating the mechanisms behind images and stereotypes’ creation. Women’s depiction in popular culture always had social, cultural and politic implications; In fact, centuries after the first, germinal examples of feminist sci-fi novel, speculations within the genre of science fiction are still crucial to imagine alternative realities and to affect readers’ attitudes towards those we currently live in. Urania takes its name not only after astronomy’s muse in Greek mythology, but also after the Italian celebrated sci-fi book series, which firstly translated works by renowned female writers such as Joanna Russ, Ursula Le Guin, Octavia Butler and Leigh Brackett as well as authors who long hid their identity behind masculine alias, like Alice Bradley Sheldon, Carolyn Janice Cherry and Joan Carol Holly. This exhibition gathers five international female artists who investigate feminist and queer issues in the context of speculative fiction, through a multiplicity of media, with the aim of shifting visions and pushing horizons of meaning beyond galaxies. of meaning, starting form a 70s space office.


“Science fiction and fantasy serve as important vehicles for feminist thought, particularly as bridges between theory and practice. No other genres so actively invite representations of the ultimate goals of feminism: worlds free of sexism, worlds in which women’s contributions are recognized and valued, worlds that explore the diversity of women’s desire and sexuality, worlds that move beyond gender.”