Part of Fierce Festival this weekend.
Fierce Festival returns this week with a programme of live art, performance and projects across Birmingham. Included amongst them is Influences, an art project in which the faces of inspiring women are turned into nail designs.
Visitors can have their nails decorated with the finished artworks at the Influences nail bar, which will be at the Library of Birmingham of Saturday 4 October. Artistic Director Laura McDermott explains: “Influences is a fun look at what feminism means to young women today. We have worked with the Sister Act women’s group, which is linked to the One Mile Away Foundation in Aston and Handsworth.”
She continues, “Myself and Phoebe Davies, the lead artist, spoke to a group of young women to ask them who their female heroes are in Birmingham. We now have a list of eight inspiring women whose face will be turned into nail art during Fierce Festival. The idea is to break some of the stereotypes of femininity. Everytime someone looks at their nails, they can be inspired by one the faces looking back at them.”
Amonst the women whose faces have become nail art are Justice Williams, who was awarded an MBE aged only 29 for Services to young people in Birmingham, and Anisa Haghdadi Bern, the 24 year old founder of Beatfreeks CIC. Maureen Connolly, the Chief Executive of Birmingham Women’s Aid, Jasvinder Sanghere, a campaigner against forced marraiges, and Emma Borg, who supports mothers living with post-natal depression, also make the list.
Fierce Festival is an annual festival of live art which works with local, national and international artists to challenge expectations and presumptions. This year’s Festival takes place 2-12 October at venues across Birmingham.
Visitors to Fierce Festival can have their nails done at the following times:
Friday 3rd October 2014: 5pm – 8pm
As part of Digbeth First Fridays in the Fierce Festival Hub
The Edge, 79-81 Cheapside, Digbeth, B12 0QH
Saturday 4th October 2014: 11am – 4pm
At the Library of Birmingham in the Highlights space, level 3
Library of Birmingham, Centenary Square, Birmingham B1 2ND