or: Keeping quiet for tactical reasons has always proven to be a mistake

A feminist Augmented Reality intervention in public space – marking the 25th anniversary of Tricky Women Tricky Realities

‘Keeping quiet for tactical reasons has always proven to be a mistake,’ Johanna Dohnal (1939–2010) once said. And so Austria's first Minister for Women's Affairs was not quiet, but passionate and courageous, and in her fight for equal opportunities and women's rights, which withstood all hostility, she was uncomfortable and persistent: Dohnal pushed through numerous reforms – from family law to the establishment of the deadline solution to protection against violence for women – and led others to call her the Joan of Arc of the Austrian women's movement. To remind us that her political achievements have had a lasting impact on society, six artists (Eni Brandner, Kris Hofmann, Susi Jirkuff, Nayeun Park, Veronika Schubert and Anna Vasof) have created a digital memorial to the politician at Johanna-Dohnal-Platz.

‘Remembering a pioneer – Johanna Dohnal in Augmented Reality. Or: Keeping quiet for tactical reasons has always proven to be a mistake’ is the title of the feminist AR intervention in public space, marking 25 years of the ‘Tricky Women Tricky Realities’ animated film festival. The art project, made possible by KÖR Vienna and supported by the Future Fund of the Republic of Austria, invites visitors to engage with Johanna Dohnal's work and its significance for the present day. Six animated works, which can be experienced in virtual space, bring the square to life and relate Dohnal's legacy in women's politics to current socio-political discourses.

The six artists approach Johanna Dohnal in a variety of ways, drawing on a wide range of sources, but they are united by their experimental, cross-media and socially engaged artistic practice on themes of feminism, social justice and technology.

In ‘Substantial Quantum Leaps’ Eni Brandner refers to the so-called glass ceiling that many women encounter at some point in their professional careers. Her AR object designs this invisible barrier and combines it with Johanna Dohnal's sharp-tongued statements. The fictional ‘Portraits of Progress’ developed by Kris Hofmann show how her work has touched the lives of women, both directly and figuratively. In ‘Sprechstunde’ (Consultation Hour), Susi Jirkuff, on the other hand, puts the politician herself in the spotlight, animating archive photos of Dohnal gesturing at her desk. Clothing plays an important role in Nayeun Park's exploration of gender roles, concepts of femininity and violence against women in ‘Eine protestierende Vase II’ (A Protesting Vase II).

A quote from Dohnal, which identifies the ‘human future’ as the goal of feminism, was essential to Veronika Schubert's examination ‘Grundsätze (Principles)’: her collages of newspaper clippings reflect the public perception of women's political issues. In ‘Johanna Dohnal – The Programmer,’ Anna Vasof looks at the laws that have reprogrammed society and translates this into a virtual monument to the famous politician.

The works can also be experienced online at artificialmuseum.com