Feminist alternative practices among independent artists: The case of Guangzhou, China

Abstract

Drawing from seven months of fieldwork among independent artists and their communities in Guangzhou, China, in 2020–2021, this paper investigates the feminist alternative practices in response to the experiences of gender marginalisation of independent artists. Along with being sexualised and discouraged by some of their art colleagues and the public, there has been an emergence of alternative practices among female independent artists in Guangzhou, including alternative art production, space cultivation, and community development. Alternative art practices have not only diversified the expression and representation of female artists; they have also helped female and non-binary people connect to discuss gender-related issues and provide mutual support. Altogether, these expanding feminist practices, spaces, and communities have yielded everyday life strategies to negotiate and contest existing patriarchal conventions and imbalanced power relationships. My account also offers a view of changing gender politics within art communities in Guangzhou’s independent art field.