Artist Concept:
"The Mental Load" is a sculptural exploration of the often invisible and overwhelming burdens shouldered by women in contemporary Western society, particularly within the roles of wife and mother. This piece draws directly from my personal experiences during a challenging period where I was balancing the care of my immediate family alongside the responsibilities towards my ailing parents.This artwork is enriched by the meaningful materials provided by a remarkable community member. She generously donated items from her deceased mother’s estate, with the wish that they be used in a significant way. Through this work, I sought to honour her mother’s legacy as a powerful woman navigating an era vastly different from our own, yet facing similar burdens of duty and expectation.
"The Mental Load" symbolises the fairy tale allure of romantic love, epitomised by the Barbie doll, and juxtaposes it against the gradual erosion of autonomy inflicted by the incessant demands of the mental load. The whimsical, yet chaotic arrangement of upcycled items represents the constant and relentless bombardment of responsibilities that often go unseen and unappreciated. The repurposed child’s play oven serves as a poignant metaphor for the domestic sphere, a space traditionally dominated by women’s labour, and a site of both creativity and confinement.
Through this sculpture, I aim to provoke reflection on the often unacknowledged labour women perform daily, highlighting the contrast between the external appearance of order and the internal reality of managing countless tasks and emotional responsibilities. "The Mental Load" is both a tribute to the strength and resilience of women past and present, and a call to acknowledge and value the unseen work that sustains our lives.
Junk and Disorderly Disclaimer:
I am in the business of Junk, old unused items people are going to throw away. My joy as a recreator is to wave my magic shiny wand and transform them into something I am proud to send out my door. It must be said though, that there is nothing perfect in the old (sorry mum) - if you look closely, you are going to find rust, scratches or the odd ugly backside as I endeavour to do my best in a sustainable way. With upcycling, must come the understanding that these come to you flawed. like the sediment in an old wine, or a tarnished old coin from years ago. Enjoy the old and celebrate our flaws, old or new! Thanks MSM.
Size: Height 70 cm, Length 38 cm
The Mental Load
My Shiny Perspective:
Step right up to Barbie's not-so-fabulous life, where she’s found a new home inside a wine bottle, sipping directly from her own plastic form. Scattered pills paint the scene, a subtle nod to the art of self-medication. The pink play oven, once a symbol of domestic bliss, now hides snippets from old books—stories of young love that promised the world but delivered a never-ending list of chores. The oven’s door swings open to reveal these tales of romance, now entangled with the harsh realities of marriage and the relentless mental load that no one sees but everyone feels. It’s a chaotic mess of trinkets and treasures, all bound together in a whirlwind of responsibilities and the invisible labour that keeps life ticking along. Who knew that domestic bliss came with such a high price tag?
