Micro-Event n°20 /How to Become a Good Housewife
Tsuneko Taniuchi. Micro-Event n°20 /How to Become a Good Housewife, 1998–2003.
Description:
Micro-Event n°20 /How to Become a Good Housewife: "Here, There and Nowhere", Quartier Éphémère, Montreal, 1998; "What is Domestic Art 4?", Traffic Gallery, Ivry-sur-Seine, France, 2003.
I read an article in a English magazine entitled "Allen and Overy" about how to become a good housewife. It was an ironic and airy criticism of some of John Major's slogans, "Back to Basics", "Family Values", which, according to the authors, were directly inspired by a secondary school educational publication from the 50's. The authors quoted a series of blurbs taken from this book relative to domestic economy and absurd caricatured advice based on a superficial conception of conjugal know-how. I used this article as inspiration. I thus gave three lessons, like a professor: "Prepare Your Husband's Dinner Ahead of Time", "Prepare Yourself for Him", "PrepareYour Children" etc... I mimicked the gestures and desired effects of the lesson: "Good Housewife". This performance was video taped and presented during the exhibit.
Medium:
Performance
Tags:
Performance, domesticity, feminity, tradition, nationalism, ethnicity, identity
Previous
Eastern Parkway/Brooklyn Museum
