In the name of the Mother, and of the Daughter, and of the Holy Spirit

The photograph presents Aleksandra Karpowicz’s self-portrait and was created in conjunction with the performance with the same title. ‘In the name of the Mother, and of the Daughter, and of the Holy Spirit’ is the performance inspired by the Catholic liturgy of transubstantiation and was presented in Vienna at Mario Mauroner Contemporary Art. It is a ritual where Karpowicz transformed bread and wine into the body and blood of a female and gave it to the audience as a Holy Communion, forgiving their sins. The performance is raising a question about gender of God presented in most of the monotheistic religions as well as opens the discussion on its impact on weakening women position throughout the history.

Did the patriarchal structure within the religious institutions create unbalanced power dynamic between genders in all aspects of life? What was the influence of such patriarchal hierarchy on reducing women power to be in charge of their lives and their bodies? What is the correlation between the level of religiousness within one country and decreased rights of its female citizens to decide about themselves on the equal terms to men (such as forced marriages, limited access to education, lack of voting rights, banning and criminalising abortion, honour killings, female genital mutilation, breast ironing and other forms of harmful discriminations)? On which basis is it believed that God is a men? Can it be assumed that the Male God is a root and a symbol of gender inequality? Shall we consider that God has no gender?

Edition of 10