Artist Statement:
This final project of mine is indirectly connected to some of the other projects that I have done for this class. This soft sculpture project is also based on the critical views on the social and cultural issues that have been seen in the Indian society for a long time now. This is not only seen in Indian culture, but also in many different cultures. Most of my projects thus far have been exploring the idea of gender inequality in Indian society. In some parts of India, this is true is the rural parts of india, however this tradition was followed when India was under the rule of different kings. At that time, women were never trusted with making big decisions, they were always told to do small odd jobs, they were never allowed to give their opinion, they were always told to keep quiet and let the more important people do the talking.
My piece explores and visualises the idea of women being unable to speak and voice their opinion. The time when India was ruled by kings, the only profession that women were able to work in was in the fabric or fashion business where they would sit for hours creating fabric and lace and embroider intricate designs, hence the use of white lace in the my mask. They were never allowed to be a part of any other profession or do any other kind of job that involved a form of education, this was because, in society, females were not allowed to get educated, as education has a cost, and in the future the girl/daughter would get married and go to another family, hence the mentality that came across was, since the female is not going to be a part of our family at the end of the day, what is the point of investing money and time into her.
My piece is a mask that covers the second half of the face, from the nose and below. The basic shape of the face mask is obtained using wire which was shaped using a mannequin head. I used a thicker wire for the overall shape of the mask to mirror the crevices and curves of the face. Once I created the wood, I used white lace to stitch and fill up the spaces in the squares or triangles created by the grid effect of the mask. I wanted to add some amount of detailing on the head which is similar to a halo, to portray the elegance and sophistication of women. I also added wires around the patches or areas that I did not cover up with lace to add to the idea of feeling caged or trapped and being unable to voice your opinion. However, it also represents the fact that women are objectified as objects, for the outfits that they wear and their bodies. My main aim for the piece is for the viewer to understand the restrictions that women had, and the rules and regulations that they had to live under.
