Women Wanted This (Ocotber 2025) Silent Film, 6:28
This work experiments with creating silent films in front of an audience, rather than on my own, in order to challenge myself and test how my behaviour may change in front of an audience.
This work experiments with creating silent films in front of an audience, rather than on my own, in order to challenge myself and test how my behaviour may change in front of an audience.
Stills from silent film
The plan for the piece was for me to be handcuffed to the iron, with audience participants walking in and dropping laundry on the board for me to iron. The handcuffs representing the lack of choice given to women throughout history.
Photographs of the performance
the work challenges traditional ideas of womanhood, looking at advertising from the 1950s which encouraged women to be good housewifes. I made a poster to promote the performance, inspired by an advert for an iron, stating that ‘women wanted this.’ I collaged a childhood photo of myself onto the lady ironing to reflect the expectation women face from a young age.
Poster made to promote my performance
I completed the performance in the AV studio and left instructions on the door for audience members to read.
The performance may have been more effective in a less formal setting, such as a living room, or a more public area in the studio, something I plan on developing in the second semester.
Women Wanted This exhibited as part of Spirit Bedroom (view here)