We define feminist hacking as a method of thinking and doing art, science and technology in an emancipatory, self-organized, decolonial, anti-racist and empathetic way. As female* artists and hackers, we experiment, create and share knowledge, tools and hardware which challenge the structures and the workings of intersectional oppression.
Keeping in mind the exclusivity and privilege associated with the dominant and institutional Eurocentric philosophies, critiques and technoscientific discourses, and the inevitability of the representative traps, we nevertheless want to highlight the importance of and offer a platform for the articulation of knowledge(s) and skills elicited in grassroots DIY, DIWO* and DIA* movements within hacking and activist communities, including the indigenous practices and narratives. Most importantly, we want to reclaim the joy and pleasure of exercising curiosity, creativity, critical thinking and humour through technologies.
Our project relies on feminist hacking as an art-based research method. Feminist hacking involves an intensive knowledge-sharing process, through workshops and other forms of exchange. Feminist hacking is structured around breaking with feminine gender scripts, transgressing gender norms and embracing technological challenges.
We define our approach as qualitative and from the genre of research-in-action within an iterative and spiral course. Our method is empirically based, all steps and findings are hacked, discussed, reflected, reconsidered, re-hacked and re-discussed.We aim to harness open hardware for non-binary, queer and feminist artists, and to enableunorthodox alliances.We believe the development of individual positions through collaboratively developed hardware to be the most appropriate way to demonstrate what feminist hardware entails. This methodology aims to support, on the one hand, the production of new knowledge acquainted by the interaction between artists, hardware developers/manufacturers, and, on the other, the production presentation and dissemination of artworks and reflections resulting from this exchange.
This usually involves disassembling electronic devices on purpose, with the intention of learning and understanding, but also reassembling, them into something else and creating art. It implements recycled hardware and it is informed by critical making. Feminist hacking is about developing artistic technology, based on open hardware, from a queer and female perspective.
Feminist hacking embraces a “Diffractive methodology for artist practice” inspired by the work of Rosi Bradotti, Karen Barad and Donna Haraway.