Untitled

Although the fight for women’s rights has been successful in many areas, gender inequality persists. I reflect on this reality in the Untitled series through the use of hyperbole.

In the first painting, using the technique of layered oil painting, I captured the archetype of a patriarchal man whose identity is built on gender superiority.

Such attitudes are currently being criticised in public discourse. Nevertheless, gender inequality remains present, and, under the influence of the so-called “manosphere”, it is resonating even more strongly among a growing number of young men.

Women continue to face gender-based devaluation, injustice, and double standards. This status quo is maintained not only by men but also by patriarchally minded women who invoke tradition. However, not all traditions are harmless – some, on the contrary, serve to conserve gender stereotypes.

The second painting, created using the same technique, visualises the inequality in the volume of unpaid labour, also known as the “second shift” in the household.  The shackles on the hands symbolise the confinement and isolation resulting from power-imbalanced and stereotypical relationships.