"Blank Noise Takes a Stand"

Tracy Ewert

Have you ever heard of eve teasing? Neither did I until I learned about the Blank Noise project. According to Blank Noise, eve teasing is street sexual harassment; a fun game for men.

Blank Noise defines itself as "a public and participatory art project working both online and on the streets of Bangalore, Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, Lucknow, Chennai, and Hyderabad." The project seeks to recognize eve teasing as street sexual harassment and establish it as an issue. They ask, "Eve teasing may be normal, but is it acceptable?"

Started by Jasmeen Patheja in August 2003, Blank Noise originated as her final graduate art project. It was a personal reaction to street sexual harassment.

"The threat of being sexually harassed every time I was out of home and then labeling this invasion of my privacy with such an innocuous term as 'eve teasing' made me realize that this is an offence that has often been ignored or trivialized", Jasmeen writes on her website.

"Moving to a new city at the age of 19 made me feel more vulnerable to the situation where there was no 'home' to run back to. When I would discuss it with my peers, there was a normalcy attached to it - 'yes, it happens everyday' or 'it's normal', or complete denial, like asking, 'how come this happens only to you'. But I know it was never just my problem."

When she opened up about her own experiences, Jamseen noticed an immediate denial among women. Many didn't think there was a problem, which was the catalyst for the project.

Blank Noise now has an online blog. In addition, Jasmeen provides workshops, holds meetings, and displays public art projects. Many other projects have branched off from Blank Noise such as Did you ask for it? and Unwanted.

Did you ask for it? aims to collect over 1,000 pieces of clothing from women; clothes which these women wore when they were sexually harrassed on the street. Jasmeen then install the clothes in public spaces to erase the assumption that women 'ask for it' because of what they are wearing. Most of the clothing is baggy, like t-shirts and sweat pants.

Unwanted calls for women on the street to take pictures of the men that catcall, grope, or whistle at them, then post the pictures on the internet for the entire world to see. The fact that you can take action is very empowering. Some women even said that when they did took a picture, the men said they were sorry or ashamed of themselves. These pictures have also been put up all over the website and on many blogs; Blank Noise definitely accepts pictures for their blog.

You can find the Blank Noise website at www.blanknoiseproject.blogspot.com