Un-mothering
The core focus of my practice has been questioning the notions of longing and belonging with a fascination for vernacular and written language as a unique tool to understand, define and express oneself.
I am inspired by contemporary thinkers such as Butler, Zizek, and Dufourmantelle in a research-based practice that constantly questions the past and the present in a quest to define oneself and find one’s home.
The ongoing project, un-mothering is an attempt to make sense of living as a 'Persona non Grata' in one’s family, homeland, and beyond, with the mother-child relationship as its backbone. With the mother’s body being our first home,
un-mothering examines un-homing through the initial separation.
Discovering anonymous family archives in a market was reminiscent of my family archive. Using found photos as a background, I project my monologues onto them like a magic spell. I also incorporate found objects that I cover in paper-maché to create altar-like installations that reimagine my memories of home.
Based on her practice, Dufourmantell argues that every mother casts a spell on her child and one must break free from the maternal oath by being born a second time.
She writes:
'Speech, as it is spoken, can one day break the cycle of oaths.'