Project description: In Serbia, there is no comprehensive publicly available data or substantial research on the representation of women comic artists active on the domestic comics scene. Likewise, the work and experiences of LGBTQ+ creators and artists from other marginalized groups remain largely absent from public discourse. Contemporary comics in Serbia are still widely perceived as an artistic medium created predominantly by men and for men, a perception that continues to shape both the frequency and the manner in which women and members of other marginalized groups are represented in comics. As comics become an increasingly popular artistic medium among young people in Serbia and attract growing audiences of younger readers, there is a pressing need to encourage the creation of content that challenges heteronormative frameworks and patriarchal representations of gender roles.
The project addressed these issues through a combination of research, education, artistic production, and public engagement. During its implementation, research on gender representation in contemporary comics in Serbia was conducted and published, two-day artistic and theoretical workshops were organized for women comic artists and visual artists, and the research findings were presented to the wider public. The publication of the study Gender in Contemporary Comics: The Representation of Gender Roles in European Independent Comics Published in Serbia Between 2021 and 2023 contributed to raising awareness of gender discrimination within the comics field and is expected to encourage the creation and publication of more inclusive comics and graphic narratives. As part of the artistic and theoretical workshop held in Pančevo, eight artists explored the intersections between gender studies, feminist theory and activism, and visual-narrative artistic practices. Their work was subsequently presented at the Nova Festival in Pančevo through the pop-up exhibition Fem.Com(ics): The Representation of Gender Roles in Contemporary Independent Comics in Serbia, where visitors had the opportunity to view comic pages created during the workshop.
Both the exhibition and the project as a whole demonstrated how comics, through their unique combination of visual and narrative storytelling, can effectively address issues of gender norms and other forms of discrimination. By strengthening the visibility and professional position of women comic artists while fostering more inclusive artistic practices, the project contributed to the further development and diversification of Serbia’s contemporary comics scene.
Grant amount: 1,500,000.00 RSD
