Touch me, gently.
2017
Material: Blown glass, Neon
H20” W20” D2”
Photo by Fred Zafran
Concept: In January 2017, I participated in the Women’s March in Washington DC and witnessed many signs and placards with drawings of the uterus. The uterus is an apt symbol for women, as it is the source of life, conception, and birth. But in the context of the Women’s March, the uterus exemplifies how women still do not occupy the same place as men in society—they are not treated as well as men, and their bodies are still being controlled by the decisions of men. Thinking about these ideas, I created a glass neon uterus that responds to touch. I encourage my viewers to touch the piece and witness the uterus react with its electrode. The more it is touched, the more the uterus glows. Through this interaction and visual effect, I hope people can examine the ways in which women’s bodies are impacted by outside forces and re-think their own participation in the patriarchy. This piece serves as a visual metaphor for the receptiveness and vulnerability of women. This piece exemplifies how the uterus should be treated as an illuminated sacred object, rather than disposable in the same way that society treats women.
