Forgotten Relations: Revisiting Papergirl Vancouver’s Feminist and Social Practice Art Roots

Papergirl Vancouver is part of a global network of community art projects that redefine street and participatory art by combining philanthropy, bicycles, and the gifting of art. Papergirl is not alone in explicitly challenging the art market economy, but its simultaneous reaction against neoliberal and postfeminist discourses and absorption by them makes it the site of productive contradictions. Using interviews with participants and fieldwork, this thesis situates Papergirl’s roots in the Second Wave feminist art movement. As part of the repudiation of feminist politics, feminist art’s contributions to contemporary art have arguably been absorbed into and forgotten by social practice art. Elements of social practice art are compatible with neoliberal discourses, contributing to its depoliticization. This thesis questions the depoliticization of Papergirl Vancouver. It aims to reconnect Papergirl Vancouver to the activist roots of social practice art and considers ways to reclaim and reignite feminist art activism within the project.