My work explores and critiques the unnecessary gendering of everyday consumer products through a satirical lens. With the use of sculpture and print, I have made satirical, over-the-top designs than both mimic and over exaggerate the visual language of advertising. I used cliché colour schemes, exaggerated packaging, and absurd slogans to show how ridiculous gendered distinctions can be. I invite viewers to laugh at how absurd it is, but to also reflect how these norms are embedded into our everyday lives. Many people don’t question gendered marketing because it is so normalised. My work parodies the artificial divide between products “for him” and “for her”. By reimagining everyday objects through an exaggerated lens, I highlight how consumer culture reinforces outdated gender stereotypes under the guise of choice. I invite the viewer to reflect. Why does a pack of heat pads need to be pink and say “feminine” to be “for her”? Why must a spray say “men” on it it just because the products made by that company are usually advertised for women? Products should be advertised to everyone. I aim to spark conversations about how consumerism shapes our understanding of gender and how deeply these messages are embedded into the objects we use and see everyday.
