Studio XX

Science Fair: Feminist Configurations in Cyberspace

The project involves the production of a Web site which explores and presents an illustrated critical history of women scientists and inventors, from the 18th century onward. The site also contains original Web works by eight artists interested in the relationship between women, science and technology. This interdisciplinary project brings together technicians and women from different fields to create an interactive site that highlights the historical relationship between these fields and encourages creative exploration between them. It's also a way to demonstrate the changing function of the artist at this start of a new century, to recognize the important role of women in this movement, and to trace women's participation in the history of science and technology. More specifically, the project involves the establishment of a chronology illustrating the scientific contributions of women from the 18th century to the year 2000, punctuated with images marking significant innovations in the history of science and technology. When an image is clicked, details of the contribution are displayed on-screen, along with pictures and text describing the innovation and giving a brief biography of the inventor. The site as a whole covers five major categories: agriculture, medicine, reproductive technologies, tools and machines, and computer technologies. Artworks designed specially for this Web site are inserted at different points in the narrative framework.

Project participants are Studio XX, Ingrid Bachmann, Lynn Hugues, Nicole Jolicoeur, Marie-Josée Lafortune, Valérie Lamontagne (Mobilegaze), Barbara Layne, Lynne Marsh, Barbara McGill Balfour and Stephanie Shepherd.