Books we Carry #1

Join us for two evenings of book presentations as part of Sister Library, hosted within the exhibition Empowerment: Arts and Feminisms. Led by Indigenous artist aqui Thami, Sister Library is a dynamic art initiative that transcends the traditional library concept. Rooted in celebrating women, it blends literature with community engagement to foster diverse and inclusive connections. As an evolving and generative artwork, Sister Library honors female creativity by showcasing works from women writers, artists, and zine makers.

In Sri Lanka, the project is funded by the Franco-German Cultural Fund and realized in partnership with Everystory Sri Lanka, an organisation committed to amplifying underrepresented voices through literature and storytelling. As part of the collaboration, Everystory Sri Lanka has contributed important Sri Lankan writing to the library’s collection. Additionally, the Goethe-Institut and Alliance Française have expanded the selection by adding feminist literature from Germany and France, translated into English.

Over two evenings, we will share our favorite titles from the bookshelf. Stefan Winkler, director of the Goethe-Institut, will discuss his experience reading science fiction - a genre historically dominated by male voices - highlighting titles such as Sultana’s Dream by Rukeya Hussain, The Dispossessed by Ursula K. Le Guin, and Kindred by Octavia Butler. Although not part of the library collection, he will also bring Before She Sleeps by Bina Shah and Utopias of the Third Kind by Vandana Singh. Priyanthi Fernando, board member of the Lakmahal Community Library and organizer of their feminist book club, will pose a broader question: What does feminism mean - and, by extension, what defines a feminist book club? What aspects of feminism are reflected in books authored by women? And what about those written by others?  

On the second evening, Thadini Liyanage and Raeesa Samsudeen from Everystory will host a session Sarah Ahmed's writing and present Living a Feminist Life. They will be joined by Cécile Hoorelbeke and Vidura Rodrigo from Alliance Française de Colombo, who will present their favorite works, including Annie Ernaux’s Frozen Women and Poems of the First Buddhist Women (translated by Charles Hallisey).

This event is part of the public programme of Empowerment: Art and Feminisms, a South Asian multidisciplinary travelling exhibition on view at JDA Perera Gallery from 4–11 August 2025. Featuring works by 31 feminist artists and collectives, the exhibition explores themes of gender, identity, care, resistance, and inclusion across South Asia. Empowerment is curated by Andreas Beitin, Katharina Koch, and Uta Ruhkamp, and co-produced by Kunstmuseum Wolfsburg and Goethe-Institut / Max Mueller Bhavan Mumbai.