What would the world look like if women ran it? Would it be fairer, more compassionate and more open to dialogue? Or would the very ideas of power, leadership and social values change? These questions lie at the heart of What If Women Ruled the World?, a large-scale interactive project by world-renowned American artist Judy Chicago, which will be presented at the Heydar Aliyev Center in Baku as part of the Fly to Baku. Art Weekend. Sense the Future NOW programme, the organizers said.
Blending art with social engagement, the project offers no ready-made answers. Instead, it creates a space for reflection and open dialogue. Participants are invited to explore the role of women in society, equal opportunities, justice, leadership and the future we might build together.
From One Question to a Global Dialogue
The project's story began in 2002 in China's Lugu Lake region. Two decades later, the questions posed by Judy Chicago have evolved into an international initiative that, since 2022, has invited people from around the world to share their perspectives and become part of a collective artistic statement.
The project's defining feature is that its content is created by the participants themselves. There is no single right answer, and every opinion becomes part of a much broader conversation about the future of society.
Thousands of Voices, One Work of Art
At the heart of the project are 11 questions exploring gender equality, justice, leadership and the future. Participants can record their answers in specially designed video booths or share their thoughts through an online platform.
Their individual responses are then brought together digitally, forming a large-scale work of art made up of words, images and personal reflections. In this way, diverse voices, life experiences and visions of the future come together in a single artistic composition.
Here, viewers are no longer mere observers but become co-creators. Each new response adds another layer to the work, revealing fresh perspectives and showing just how differently people can approach the same questions.
The project also places particular emphasis on combining traditional textile art with modern technology. By bringing together artistic heritage and digital tools, it transforms personal reflections into a collective work that continues to evolve.
From New York and London to Baku
Judy Chicago's project has already been presented at prestigious international venues, including the New Museum in New York and Serpentine North Gallery in London. During the 2023-2024 retrospective Judy Chicago: Herstory at the New Museum, more than 1,000 visitors took part in the project. The work has also been exhibited in Germany, Israel and Türkiye.
Born in 1939, Judy Chicago is regarded as one of the pioneers of feminist art. Her work centres on women's history, experiences and achievements, as well as their contributions to world culture - contributions that have often remained in the shadows for centuries.
One of her best-known works is The Dinner Party, a monumental installation celebrating women's cultural heritage. The work has become a landmark artistic statement calling for a reassessment of history and greater recognition of women's role in the development of civilization.
Baku: A New Platform for New Voices
The upcoming presentation at the Heydar Aliyev Center will offer an opportunity to broaden the international dialogue and introduce new cultural perspectives.
Chicago admits that she could never have imagined how strongly her questions would resonate with people in different parts of the world. Today, the thousands of responses gathered through the initiative demonstrate how art can bring people together, bridge differences and create space for mutual understanding.
As part of Fly to Baku. Art Weekend. Sense the Future NOW, visitors will be able to explore the project and reflect on their own vision of the future. After all, sometimes a single question can open up a much wider conversation - about values, responsibility, equality and the kind of world we want to live in.
And if women really did rule the world, what would it look like? Perhaps the answer begins with each of us.