11oven
This image was created and inspired when shooting a re-enactment of the highly commercial, Fairy liquid advert for the film in another unit. The idea of the heavily oppressed housewife was an important subject in my project. around the time of filming I was shocked to discover that around the 1950-70, gassing yourself to death in the oven as a women, was quite the common suicide.
Why did these women feel the need to do this? The feminine lady at this time was living in the Mad Men era. Women prior to the equal pay act and gender fair jobs laws, were left to soak up the constant pressure of adverts titled 'She'll be happier with a hoover at Christmas' or 'Blow in her face, and she'll follow you anywhere', some ads encouraged domestic violence, and others promoted the thrills of baking. It was an absolutely outrageous time for male dominated corporates to press women into their maid.
Then this is where we end up, the final image. The women can not cope with the constant voice from the television/walls shouting that she's not perfect. There's so many more things she needs to do, or attain to, when she never actually needed to at all.
I decided on the round image with the two square to create the representation of a hanging portrait. The old style frames that had splitting sections similar to this - helping to give the impression of an older time. The last image is covered by a pink wrapper, I choose to do this as pink has always been stereotypically forced upon women as their color. The idea is that she has been engulfed by the pink stereotype, which pressured her to death.
I viewed a few kitchens before I made the decision on location, as I felt it was very important to have the correct colors surrounding the model. I completed hair, make-up and wardrobe duties also.