THE NIGHT IS OURS

 
I created urban landscape 'THE NIGHT IS OURS based on a feeling that many women know, but rarely speak about. It is not a cry, not an accusation, but an attempt to visualise how it feels to be alone in public spaces. The constant alertness. Unconsciously quickening your pace. Looking over your shoulder, even when there seems to be no one around.
 
In this work, a woman stands in the silence of the city. Small compared to her surroundings, but fully present. The layers, the unclear walls and the shadows carry tension. The red bag is not a symbol of danger, but of humanity: you are there, you feel, you live.
 
This feeling does not stop when night falls. It is there in quiet places, in empty streets, for young and old. Inspired by The night belongs to us campaign by Dolle Mina.
 
‘The night belongs to us’ (or ‘The night also belongs to us’) is a campaign and action by the feminist movement Dolle Mina, which draws attention to the insecurity of women (and gender-diverse people) in public, especially at night, and demands that everyone be able to move safely on the streets, particularly after events such as the murder of a 17-year-old girl in Amsterdam. The action includes nationwide, illuminated night-time bicycle rides past unsafe locations, demanding that responsibility for safety lies not only with the victim, but with society as a whole.