This series explores female identity through portraits situated within familiar domestic environments. The work originated from an observation during a class assignment where fifth-grade students were asked to draw “Mom in an interior.” Although the prompt allowed for countless settings—cafés, museums, offices, studios, gyms—nearly all students chose their own apartments as the backdrop. More strikingly, in almost every drawing, the mother was depicted doing household chores, even though the same interior could have shown her reading, studying, creating, resting, or pursuing personal goals.
This repeated visual pattern revealed how deeply traditional expectations continue to shape children’s perceptions of women’s roles. Despite living in the 21st century, where gender equality is recognized legally, the emotional and social space afforded to women often remains confined to the home.
The project reflects on this tension between societal narratives and individual self-determination. Through these portraits, I examine how cultural norms continue to influence the ways women are imagined, represented, and expected to exist—and how crucial it is to reclaim space, agency, and personal choice beyond inherited patriarchal frameworks.
2020
170х120 / canvas, acrylic