"WITCHES REVISITED: EXPLORATION OF OTHERNESS THROUGH FEMININE ARCHETYPES"

Anna Maskava. Self-portrait. 2023.

The project "WITCHES REVISITED: EXPLORATION OF OTHERNESS THROUGH FEMININE ARCHETYPES" is proposed as an interdisciplinary art and cultural project that seeks to examine the concept of "Otherness" through the lens of the witch archetype. This project aims to challenge stereotypes, foster empathy, and promote a deeper understanding of marginalized individuals and groups throughout history and in contemporary society.

Thought-provoking discussions and a workshop featuring artists and experts from cultural production, art history, folklore and mythology will allow us to explore the archetype of the witch that is rich and multifaceted, and often embodies various contradictions and complexities. For example, witches can be both outcasts and healers within their communities. They are often marginalized and feared, yet they may also play vital roles as midwives, or spiritual leaders. The witch archetype is closely tied to femininity and women's power, but it has also been used to justify the oppression and persecution of women. This contradiction reflects the historical struggle for gender equality and the fear of women's agency. Witches can also be often associated with herbalism, nature, and healing, but they are also linked to curses, hexes, and malefic magic. This contradiction highlights the complex relationship between nature, spirituality and magic.

Latvian Centre for Performance Art has received network funding from the Nordic-Baltic Mobility Programme for Culture to establish project CRISS-CROSS.