AT FIRST GLANCE, I THOUGHT SHE HAD STITCHES. TURNS OUT SHE SEWED YARN INTO HER PALMS

Although the image might look like the woman’s hands have been stitched hundreds of times by a doctor, they have not. Instead the stitching has been done by the artists known as Eliza Bennett. And this new piece called “A Woman’s Work Is Never Done” uses the artist’s own flesh as the canvas.

Through meticulous stitching beneath the top layer of her own skin, Bennett has made her hand look like a calloused hardened hand of a worker. And the meaning of this piece is more than skin deep…

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Bennet decided to use her art as a way to spread awareness that women do difficult work. Far too many people assume that a “women’s work is light and easy.” But in the 21^st century, this is no longer the case. Nonetheless gender stereotypes still abound despite the breakthroughs countries like America have been in the last century and more.

In the words of Bennett, she hopes her project addresses “the effects of hard work arising from employment in low paid ancillary jobs such as cleaning, caring, and catering, all traditionally considered to be ‘women’s work.’”

Because gender inequality is still a problem in America, as well a racial inequality, Bennett hopes her piece can join the conversation and help more people think about the way they view the world.

Although her piece certainly makes a political statement, it looks a bit painful and difficult to remove.

On her website, the UK artists goes into more depth about this piece and how she made it.

“A series of photographic works titled ‘A Woman’s Work is Never Done’ Using my own hand as a base material, I considered it a canvas upon which I stitched into the top layer of skin using thread to create the appearance of an incredibly work worn hand.  By using the technique of embroidery, which is traditionally employed to represent femininity and applying it to the expression of its opposite, I hope to challenge the pre-conceived notion that ‘women’s work’ is light and easy.

“The technique, I recall first applying to my hand under a table during a home economics class in school. I was totally amazed to find that I could pass a needle under the top layers of skin without any pain, only a mild discomfort.  As with many childhood whims it passed and I hadn’t thought any more about it until quite recently when I decided to apply the process to my hand to make it appear calloused and work worn like that of a manual labourer. Some viewers consider the piece to be a feminist protest, for me it’s about human value. After all, there are many men employed in caring, catering, cleaning etc… all jobs traditionally considered to be ‘women’s work’. Such work is invisible in the larger society, with ‘A woman’s work’ I aim to represent it.”

DO YOU THINK ELIZA BENNETT’S PIECE ADDS A NEW PERSPECTIVE TO THE CONVERSATION ON GENDER EQUALITY IN AMERICA AND ACROSS THE WORLD?

Please SHARE THIS AMAZING PIECE OF ART with your family and friends on Facebook today!

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AT FIRST GLANCE, I THOUGHT SHE HAD STITCHES. TURNS OUT SHE SEWED YARN INTO HER PALMS