#bettytomkins

[thismorningstudio]

Words by Women

I made it to Luxembourg & Dayan’s show entitled, Word by Word, one gloomy London afternoon. Intrigued by the show’s survey of art from the 60s to the present day, its focus on text as image and using language as an artistic medium was music to my ears. Curated by Francesco Bonami, the show runs from June 30th to September 5th, 2015. This particular piece by Betty Tomkins, entitled Women Words, caught my attention- filled with words described by women about women. A powerful piece that features multiple perceptions on how women perceive and identify themselves today.

The one that resonated with me the most is the one smack in the center: “Marriage is a women’s grave.” It struck a chord for me, and the reason is twofold: (1) I will be pressured to get married because it’s simply time (2) I will be pressured to get married to someone I am not necessarily in love with- in other words, the fear of my future husband being a choice made by my parents. So, this remark reminds me of the cultural complexities behind marriage that are often measured alongside societal standards that people choose to accept. But what about the standards I set for myself? Are they completely negated over time? Why is it that we strive to be “normal” rather than natural? 

Below are some of the Women Words in my life