"You Can't Buy Love"
Embroidery on textiles, different pieces, 2023/24
This body of work stems from my artist's residency at ACSL (Art and Cultural Studies Laboratory) in Yerevan and focuses on the language employed on Armenian "Mail Order Brides" websites. A mail-order bride is a woman who lists herself in catalogs and is selected by a man for marriage.
The work delves into the socioeconomic context of Armenia, a country, among others, that with the collapse of the Soviet economy was hit by a severe economic crisis, causing substantial financial hardships and leading to a shift towards more conservative values. Women were once again primarily assigned unpaid domestic duties and the nurturing of the family, consequently facing increased pressure to conform to these expectations and being discouraged from pursuing education and career advancement.
The concept of mail-order brides is not unique to Armenia and has deep historical roots that extend far beyond the internet era. It has consistently been intertwined with economic struggles.
The project explores the phenomenon of mail-order brides as an economic escape for women. A reality that entails dangers for both men and women. Beyond these dangers, it scrutinizes the language that such websites use in "selling their product" (for instance, a wife) through often absurd clichés that deepen and generalize certain expectations and ideas imposed upon women and their role in society, thus hindering alternative narratives.
I have embroidered phrases found on these websites onto domestic traditional textile items, almost in form of slogan, in order to create a visual portrayal of the absurdity of this semantic.
The aim is to ignite a reflection about the language not only found on mail-order bride websites but also permeating societies globally. Therefore, the project also endeavors to prompt viewers, irrespective of gender, to critically evaluate the language they use daily and contemplate its impact on other people's image, rights, and equality.
