Being told how to go about creating art can be really frustrating, especially when it goes against principles you value greatly. Which is why Alex Bertulis Fernande, a copywriter and creative in London, stayed her course after being told by an art teacher that she should "dial down the feminism" in her work. She created one of the best responses to anyone complaining that women's equality is "too in your face" or has gone "too far."
Last week one of my art teachers suggested I 'dial down the feminism.' Today I showed him my newest piece: pic.twitter.com/VrnB4oJ8Cz
— Alex Bertulis-Fernandes (@alexbertanades) February 7, 2018
The artwork, depicting text over and around one rotating knob dial, is titled "Dial Down The Feminism." Below that copy, the dial has two options that appear 180-degree opposites of each other. The first reads, "COMPLICIT IN MY OWN DEHUMANISATION." and the second, which the dial is set to, says, "RAGING FEMINIST."
A look through Fernande's work shows she's continually bold with feminist commentary in her art. One piece, part of an advertising campaign, promotes pap smear testing for cervical cancer, while another evaluates the "pros" of working in Hollywood.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BexSeAUBUjf/?taken-by=alexattempts
https://www.instagram.com/p/Be6YbhGhkG8/?taken-by=alexattempts
Across Twitter, fans of Fernande's pro-feminism piece expressed their adoration of the work.
Fuck yes https://t.co/SiWoNvofYU
— Melanie Lynskey (@melanielynskey) February 7, 2018
https://twitter.com/moryan/status/961379332970176512
https://twitter.com/KristaVernoff/status/961413395118407680
https://twitter.com/dissentingj/status/961438779792818176
https://twitter.com/StephInTeevee/status/961447534697775105
THIS IS SO GOOD and, as one could assume, the replies are a god damned nightmare of men explaining why this isn’t good... https://t.co/gGcSHFniwJ
— Ian Carlos (@ianxcarlos) February 8, 2018
But that didn't stop trolls, primarily men, from asserting that there should be some "middle ground" here, as if there was such as thing as being kind-of for gender equality but not completely.
Well ok. But you still created a middle ground.
— Carlos Post Blues (@carlos_j_cruz) February 7, 2018
(fixed) I think this is what your art teacher meant pic.twitter.com/ZKwIaH86fy
— aidan (@Aidan_Wolf) February 7, 2018
Good to see that there is a middle between the extremes.
— John Vilnis (@JohnVilnis) February 8, 2018
Pity not enough people go there as it is usually when the best results happen.
https://twitter.com/TheConceptBoy/status/961463484650328064
Like Fernande says it this piece, you're either a feminist or you're not, boys! Rest assured that if she's not going to listen to her art teacher, there's very little chance she'll entertain your bad takes.
