The Wake

What do graffiti, feminine hygiene and globalization have in common? Not much, except they’re all on the menu at the Women’s Student Activist Collective’s weeklong The Revolutionary Art Thing, or RATH for short.

From Monday, April 16 to Sunday, April 22, the Collective will attempt to inspire serious discussion and perhaps even social change within the university community. RATH this year zooms in on community art and includes discussions, films, how-to seminars, live music, appearances by local artists and more.

“It’s a week dedicated to looking at art as social change,” senior and three-year member Kelly McCarthy says of RATH. “The point is to try to raise awareness about our group … so [students] can get involved in a setting that’s really creative and comfortable [to have] discussions about race or gender or other issues that it isn’t always comfortable to talk about.”

The Collective aims to eliminate racism, sexism, homophobia and other prejudice through artistic means, says McCarthy, which is certainly a tall order for a student group. But their members are inspired and devoted to their cause.

“People in the group make art in their everyday lives, whether they would consider themselves an artist or not,” McCarthy continues. “Art is a reflection of your own personal culture [and] on what you want to do with your time.” And they make daily choices to practice what they preach.

The Collective’s focus on art can be a way to avoid consumption and the oft-accompanying negative effects. McCarthy sees RATH as a “way to get out of our consumerist society.” About half the group members have made a commitment to not buy clothes firsthand.

Art and action can be political statements, McCarthy says. But the group holds no affiliations. The members are mostly progressive, McCarthy continues, but they make a conscious effort not to become biased. As a result, they’re not endorsing any MSA candidates. And the collective is set up so that members must agree on all decisions, so political endorsement would be a big challenge anyhow, McCarthy adds.

The Collective, which is made up of about ten active members and a few irregulars, including some men, is itching to spread their message to others. “RATH is our big focus for the spring semester,” McCarthy says. “It’s where all our energy and money is devoted.”

McCarthy, who joined the group as a sophomore after browsing through a few other student groups, was attracted to the Collective because “as a woman it’s a place where I will be able to have some agency.” She’s leading the feminine hygiene how-to workshop. She’ll teach attendees how to sew your own reusable pantyliner, so that you have an alternative to mainstream pads and tampons. They’re easy to make, washable and easier on the environment. Plus, you’ll avoid the health complications of tampons, such as toxic shock syndrome (TSS).

And if that’s not your style (or you’re lacking the necessary anatomy to make use of an environmentally-friendly pantyliner), you can check out the other events, most of which will be held in Coffman. There’s art in the Zapatista movement discussion, during which a Collective member who studied in Mexico last year will explain how art is being used to create social change internationally. And a mural art talk, where a local artist who last year re-designed the Collective’s office (you may have noticed the abstract Minneapolis skyline mural on the second floor of Coffman) will talk about his experiences with art collectives. And the list goes on: book making, the aforementioned graffiti, feminine hygiene and globalization and more. You can even attend a clothing swap, where if you bring in a few items you’re tired of seeing in your closet, you can dig through other people’s wardrobes to add to your own. Or, check out local hip-hopper/spoken word artist Desdemona on Sunday night at The Whole.

But most importantly, you can enjoy the open atmosphere RATH offers. “The idea is to create a space for people to come and talk about different issues that are important while having the underlying theme of art behind it all,” McCarthy says. It’s a creative outlet you can use to find a way to express yourself, she explains. “Art shouldn’t just be between the four walls of an art gallery.”

Check out for more information on the Women’s Student Activist Collective and RATH.