“What word do you think best describes a woman?”

Since 2015, Ika Vantiani (b. 1975), artist, curator and crafter based in Jakarta has asked this question in countless workshops that feed into the work “Kata untuk Perempuan” (Words for Women). For this installation Vantiani uses collages, as an artform between media and consumption. The collages are created during workshops involving participants from various places, genders, and backgrounds to explore the idea of what it means to be a woman in today’s society. In a society that upholds patriarchal values, women are often associated with negative images and considered antagonistic figures. Even the Indonesian Dictionary (KBBI) historically included definitions of women with critical and negative connotations, which have only been corrected this year. Vantiani’s work is an encouragement to dismantle the negative stigma against women, and advocates for justice, equal access, and a safe life for women and gender minorities in Indonesia.