“What if..?”
Stereotypes are harmful when they result in a violation of human rights and fundamental freedoms when they limit women’s and men’s capacity to develop their personal abilities, pursue their professional careers, and make choices about their lives and life plans.
As young people, we are called to make decisions that will affect and determine our entire future life. The decisions that we are called to make define who we are and who we will be in the future. The decision-making is often strongly influenced by social factors and a person’s cultural identity.
Our society operates on laws and social norms that were created to reduce chaos and to build the modern world we live in. There are many social norm examples of common behavior expected from society. However, we often make decisions based on what everyone around us wants us to do, rather than doing what is right for us.
The project opens a discussion focused on the idea of social norms and their role in society as well as our everyday lives. It raises questions as "How does society influence our decisions?", "How do social norms affect our decisions?", How do stereotypes shape our perceptions of ourselves and those around us?", "How do you really forge your own and individual identity and make the best decisions for your future when you're constantly battling the stereotypes thrown at you?". It explores concepts and stereotypical views of the appropriate “ideal life”, what does good life mean, or what is the type of ideal life people imagine for themselves?
These norms have put us into boxes of specific behaviors and life actions. I connected all these norms to actual boxes showing that follow and affect us in our everyday lives, no matter what we do. But what if an individual tries to break these boxes?
This piece was exhibited as the final work for the degree show in 2013, at Middlesex University - The Grove, The Burroughs, London.