Aimee Thannhauser
Domesticated
Hub cap, wool
Whilst in
today’s society the two sexes are, for the most part, seen as equals, the
question of domestic duties and work seemingly continues to resurface in many
households. Throughout history, activities performed by men and women have
become so gender specific that even the objects people use to perform certain
tasks have become symbols of gender identity. Tools and construction were
superficially identified as masculine, whilst sewing and knitting came to
embody femininity.
In this body
of work, I have attempted to combine the traditional notions of “women’s” or
“domestic work” with “man’s work,” to challenge this contrast between the
masculine and feminine connotations placed upon us by society. Whilst the act
of embroidery and the object such as car parts are normatively considered
feminine and masculine respectively, united they portray subverted ideas of
gender. The very act of embroidering a metal object in itself is not of
“feministic” nature as it requires the use of power tools; however the result
is decidedly aesthetically feminine.
