An art student created a conceptual art piece responding to a teacher's request to 'dial down the feminism.'

alexbertanades/Twitter

Art student delivers perfect response to teacher’s request to ‘dial back the feminism’

Does this knob go to 11?

 

Samantha Grasso

IRL

Posted on Feb 8, 2018   Updated on May 22, 2021, 1:40 am CDT

Being told how to go about creating art can be really frustrating, especially when it goes against principles you value greatly. Which is why Alex Bertulis Fernande, a copywriter and creative in London, stayed her course after being told by an art teacher that she should “dial down the feminism” in her work. She created one of the best responses to anyone complaining that women’s equality is “too in your face” or has gone “too far.”

The artwork, depicting text over and around one rotating knob dial, is titled “Dial Down The Feminism.” Below that copy, the dial has two options that appear 180-degree opposites of each other. The first reads, “COMPLICIT IN MY OWN DEHUMANISATION.” and the second, which the dial is set to, says, “RAGING FEMINIST.”

A look through Fernande’s work shows she’s continually bold with feminist commentary in her art. One piece, part of an advertising campaign, promotes pap smear testing for cervical cancer, while another evaluates the “pros” of working in Hollywood.

Across Twitter, fans of Fernande’s pro-feminism piece expressed their adoration of the work.

https://twitter.com/dissentingj/status/961438779792818176

But that didn’t stop trolls, primarily men, from asserting that there should be some “middle ground” here, as if there was such as thing as being kind-of for gender equality but not completely.

Like Fernande says it this piece, you’re either a feminist or you’re not, boys! Rest assured that if she’s not going to listen to her art teacher, there’s very little chance she’ll entertain your bad takes.

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*First Published: Feb 8, 2018, 8:11 am CST