Humans are never completely free from external influences. Each person absorbs a multitude of experiences that shape who they become. This ongoing process emerges in two intertwined forms: self-identity and personal identity. Self-identity is an inward reflection shaped by contemplation and lived experience, while personal identity is formed through social relations, in the tension between how one perceives oneself and how one is perceived by others. The works of Siti F., Khayla Indiva, and Hilda Alhaque move between these two realms. Some works speak with intimacy and quiet introspection, while others gently touch the social landscape.
The journey toward the formation of identity for these three artists is neither simple nor linear. Their processes are complex and layered, shaped by the need to sift through intense experiences influenced by patriarchal structures. Cultural values, media narratives, and social expectations intersect and overlap in their daily lives. From media that romanticizes traditional female roles to narratives that celebrate the autonomous modern woman, and from portrayals of diverse female bodies to the lifestyle ideals promoted across popular platforms, these contradictory messages accumulate and take part in shaping the identities of the artists.
Siti, Khayla, and Hilda live and work within the fourth wave of feminism, a movement centered on issues of sexual harassment, body shaming, and rape culture. Much of this discourse is framed within neoliberal feminism and popular feminism. Neoliberal feminism places individual freedom and meritocratic logic at its core, while popular feminism appears in an appealing and accessible form that circulates widely through social media, entertainment, and consumer culture. Although these frameworks seem progressive, they often fail to address deeper structural inequalities and can inadvertently reinforce exclusive and biased systems.
Within the landscape of the contemporary women’s movement, the works of Siti, Khayla, and Hilda become spaces for reflection. Their practices are not direct rejections of popular or neoliberal feminism. Instead, they quietly illuminate the limitations of these discourses in capturing the complexity of women’s lived experiences today. Even without explicitly addressing womanhood, their works emerge from an awareness of a system that remains discriminatory and rooted in individualistic interests, driven by the principles of liberalism and capitalism.
Through different artistic approaches, the three artists explore themes such as the fluidity of identity, the relationship between women and nature, and critical perspectives on consumer culture. These concerns echo issues that have accompanied women from the earliest waves of feminism to the present. Ultimately, the works presented in this exhibition testify to the intricate and layered external forces that have been absorbed, internalized, and transformed into a visual language uniquely their own.